The Fire in Her Blood
by PuzzlesAndDragonBalls
Summary: Aika is a hybrid, a mix between Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom blood- not a good situation to be in during a war. Out for herself, she has only one goal: to kill the man who ruined her life. Yet in her mission of vengeance, one group will cross paths with her and change her path forever. Possible Zuko/OC, Rated T because of language and intense violence. No dual-bending.
1. Chapter 1: Imprisoned

**Hey guys! Puzzle here with a new story! Now, this is kind of just a side project, as Guildless is my main focus when it comes to writing fanfiction, but I've been sitting on this idea for a long time, and I'm really excited to share this with all of you! Remember to review/follow if you liked it!**

 **P.S., I was given the idea for this story by Sapphire-Raindrop's AtLA series!**

Chapter 1: Imprisoned

It was near the small, coal mining village in the Earth Kingdom that Aang, Sokka, and Katara first met her. Investigating the sound of crashing deeper into the forest, they found themselves in a shallow gorge, two people there. A girl and boy in Earth Kingdom clothing were in the ditch, the girl cross-legged and watching the boy as he Earthbended.

As he lifted a boulder, the girl ordered in an even and commanding tone, "Remember, don't shift your weight until you have the boulder in the air. Earthbending is about being solid, reactive and not active. You wait until the right moment, then strike!"

The boy sent his boulder across the ditch, the girl nodding. "Good, but make your motions quicker, more sudden. Move less like a Waterbender and more like an Earthbender! You aren't a flowing river, you're a jagged cliff crashing rocks on your foes! Act like it!"

Katara marveled, "An Earthbender! We should go meet him!"

Sokka warned, "He might be dangerous, so we should approach cautiously.

Katara called, "Hello there! I'm Katara! What's your name?"

The girl whipped to her feet, fists raised to fight as the boy ran. Aang could only see a whirl of dark hair as the girl ran after the boy, the two disappearing quickly, the boy making a landslide block off the path after them.

Aang obliviously called, "Nice to meet you!"

Katara shrugged disappointedly. "I just wanted to say hi."

Aang realized, "They must be running somewhere! Maybe we're near a village. And I bet that village has a market!"

Katara came to the same realization. "Which means no nuts for dinner!"

As Aang and Katara took off, Sokka protested, "Hey, I worked hard to get those nuts!" He watched Momo fly after, then admitted, "Yeah, I hate them too."

"Great hat! I'll trade you some nuts for it."

* * *

As Aang received a wicker hat, Katara watched the girl and boy from before slipped into a small shop. "Hey…"

Inside, the boy was already talking to an aged woman, the girl off to the side, meditating out of the way.

"-You're late! Get started on your chores."

Katara opened the door, saying, "Hey, you're that kid." She looked to the side, the girl next to her. "And you're that girl! Why did you run away before?"

The girl opened her eyes, glaring at Katara suspiciously, the Waterbender suddenly feeling vulnerable under her deep green gaze.

The boy denied, "Um, you must have us confused with some other kids."

The girl muttered angrily, "I'm not a damn child…"

Aang walked in, Sokka behind. The Water Tribe boy said, "No, we saw you Earthbending." He looked at the girl, unaffected by her harsh gaze. "And you were coaching him."

Gasps came echoing, the girl standing and quickly shutting the shades and door.

The woman accused, "They saw you doing what?!"

The boy attempted, "They're crazy, Mom! I mean, look at how they're dressed."

The woman looked at the girl. "Aika, I thought I asked you not to teach him more Earthbending! Do you want to test my hospitality?"

Aika excused calmly, "Technically, I haven't taught him any. I'd have to be an Earthbender for that. I just corrected his stances from what I've seen before." She sighed. "And I promised you already that no harm comes to you or your family. Assuring that your son doesn't get hurt under that promise is included."

Aang's face fell. "So you're not a bender?"

Aika shook her head. "No, I just know a thing here and there about Earthbending."

"And you should keep it to yourself!" The mother sighed, looking back to her son. "You know how dangerous that is, Haru! You know what would happen if _they_ caught you Earthbending!"

Suddenly, someone was pounding on the door. "Open up!"

Sokka reached for the shades, but the girl- Aika- swatted his hand away. "Don't bother- Fire Nation soldiers. Just stay calm and don't act stupid."

So of course, as soon as Haru's mother had opened the door, the soldiers found Aika meditating, Haru and Sokka staring at an apple, Katara stuffing her face with berries, and Aang awkwardly grinning and leaning on a barrel, its lid sliding and Aang's arm slipping in, becoming soaked.

Haru's mother growled, "What do you want? I've already paid you this week."

The lead soldier answered coolly, "The tax just doubled. And we wouldn't want an accident, would we?" Haru's mother stepped back nervously as the soldier formed a flame in his hands. "Fire… It's sometimes so hard to control."

Aika glared at the soldier as Haru's mother got her money box out. The soldier met her gaze, returning the glare. "So you're still here, are you, tramp?"

Aika growled, "Yes."

He threatened, "Well, don't get too comfortable. You aren't welcome for much longer, mutt."

Aika clenched her fists. "Don't worry. I'll be gone soon enough. Until then, just keep on puffing smoke."

The soldier stepped toward her threateningly, though she didn't even flinch. "You've got until tomorrow to be out of this town, got it, _mutt?"_

Aika glared at him, then suddenly smirked, closing her eyes smugly. "Clear as genomite."

Haru's mother gave the last of her money to the soldier and he angrily tossed a few back. "You can keep the copper ones."

Sokka looked at the closed door. "Nice guy. How long has the Fire Nation been here?"

Haru's mother sadly said, "Five years. Firelord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships."

Haru growled, "They're thugs! They steal from us, and everyone here is too much of coward to do anything about it."

"Quiet, Haru! Don't talk like that."

Aika didn't bother opening her eyes as she assured, "I'll get your money back tonight. Then I'll have to leave in the morning before he comes back to cause more trouble."

Haru crossed his arms. "I know you could beat them, Aika. Why don't you fight instead of just stealing from them?"

Aika sighed. "Because I'm talented enough to survive, not to thrive. Without bending, I have to work with what little I have. I have an advantage over Firebenders at night. Simple as that. Until the Fire Nation wins this war, that's how we survive."

Katara interjected, "Win? But Aang- uh, the Avatar's going to beat the Firelord!"

Aika scoffed. "And every one of his minions that continues fighting after?"

That made then falter. Katara hesitated, then urged, "But for this town, at least, Haru's an Earthbender. He can help!"

"Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must never use his abilities."

Katara asked, "How can you say that? Haru has a gift! Asking him not to Earthbend is like asking me not to Waterbend. It's a part of who we are."

Haru's mother was adamant. "You don't understand."

"I understand that Haru can help you fight back! What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?"

Haru's mother cried, "They could take Haru away! Like they took his father."

* * *

Hours later, after that hard conversation, Haru was showing Aang and his friends to the barn where they could stay. Aika already was there, hanging from the rafters by her knees, deep in concentration.

Haru seemed unaffected by this, as it was apparently a common sight. "My mom said you can stay here for the night, but you should leave in the morning."

Aang said, "Thanks! I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay."

Yet the bison was already chopping down on the hay. Aika opened her eyes, tilting her head at Appa. "What the…?"

Aang waved. "Hi, Aika! That's my flying bison, Appa."

Aika swiftly flipped down, landing softly on the hay. Aang really looked at her for the first time then, taking in her emerald shirt, light green leggings, leather boots, and the dirt-brown fingerless glove on her right arm that reached from elbow to her hand, only her fingers showing. Her black hair was pulled back in a braid, though a few strands fell to the side of her face, showing her right ear was strangely notched, a triangle taken out of the top of her ear. Her calculating green eyes were even more piercing, considering her strangely pale skin.

She looked at Appa with razor sharp eyes, taking him in. She suddenly walked up to Aang, towering a good foot over him. Aang awkwardly looked up, seeing her green eyes speckled with amber. She suddenly ripped his hat off, calmly announcing, "I knew it. You're the Avatar."

Aang took his hat back, Aika staring at him. "Yeah, I was afraid that someone was going to freak out and try and capture me. That happens a lot."

Sokka slinked up to Aika. "Wait, are you going to freak out and try to capture Aang?"

Aika shook her head. "No. That would be a waste of my time."

Sokka nodded. "Good. We don't need anyone else after us. The Fire Nation's been after us for awhile. This one crazy guy's been chasing us-"

"What?" Aika grabbed the front of Sokka's shirt. "Who was it? A general? Answer me!"

Sokka exclaimed, "A Fire Nation guy with a scar on his face!"

Aika switched out of her sudden rage as quickly as it had come. "Ah. Sorry." She released him, both Sokka and Aang looking confused.

Sokka muttered, "You're crazier than Zuko." Aika ignored him, recognizing the name but not the insult.

Aang asked, "Sooo… I assume you don't like this general you thought was after us?"

Aika stiffened. "It's not your business."

Aang apologized, "Sorry, I wasn't trying to pry."

Aika roughly said, "Well you did." She turned away, walking to the side of the barn and creeping up the side and back to her place up in the rafters.

Sokka and Aang exchanged weird looks, Aika's cold and coarse personality making them uneasy. Fortunately, it was easy to ignore her disturbing personality when she was hiding in the rafters, absolutely quiet and nearly invisible altogether.

That is, until night fell.

As the Aang Gang fell asleep, Aika stirred, dropping down again, now a strip of black cloth tied over her face, hiding all but her eyes. She ran out of the barn, racing down the hill toward the town. At the edge of town, a Fire Nation outpost stood, a ten foot wall surrounded by torch braziers. At the gate, a soldier stood, mask and armor indicating Firebender rank.

Aika quickly ran around the back, vaulting up the wall, one foot hitting halfway up and pushing her the rest of the way to the top. She pulled herself up, quickly dropping to the other side as quietly as possible. The green yard, lit by a few scattered torches, was stained with burn marks from the soldier's practices, making it crackle as she raced across the yard to the small outpost.

She slunk up to the doorway to the back, carefully peering inside to make sure no one was immediately coming. Slipping into the building, there was only a single hallway she knew circled the building, but what she wanted was the central room. She'd gotten into these outposts enough to know their layout at this point.

She followed the left branch of the hallway, careful not to let her shadow cast too deeply into the open doorways to the outside rim of rooms until she reached the only door to the interior room, the only with a door. Now, it was a matter of patience.

She listened to the inside, hearing little, but soon, footsteps echoed in her direction. Diving into the empty room across from the door, she waited silently for the soldier to unlock the door, entering the central office. She raced out, softly holding the door open long enough to slip in before it swung closed. She dodged off to the side as the soldier moved forward, toward the only desk in the room. The soldier from earlier sat there, counting out coins, the first soldier approaching.

He saluted in Fire Nation style, greeting, "Sergeant Lao, we've had several reports today."

Lao didn't look up from his money, mumbling, "Get on with it."

Aika paid minimal attention- it didn't matter if she were dead, she would roll over in her grave at _his_ name, and that was all the news she cared about. She quietly was stringing gold Earth Nation coins onto a thread silently, tying it off so tightly, not a sound could be made by the metal. Once she had about ten strings like this, she finally was satisfied, and with perfect timing.

Lao was just waving his hand at the soldier. "- take a squad to deal with it. I'll be right there." The soldier saluted again, exiting the treasury. Aika slipped out behind him, Lao still too occupied with his slowly shrinking riches to see the cause of his loss escaping. Aika tore out the hallway, jumping the rooftop again. She began her nightly routine, taking half a string to each house in the town, though it was difficult that night. The soldiers were off to something- Aika didn't realize soon enough where.

After finishing her rounds, she pulled the cloth off her face, breathing deeply. _Those assholes had better step up their game. Stealing is getting too easy._

She started a calm walk toward Haru's house, she froze at the sight of torches ahead. Aika dove into the treeline, moving against the grain from them from within the safety of the trees. _Why were they out here? I don't remember them mentioning Haru. Just an..._

Oh no.

Aika ran towards Haru's house, muttering, "They couldn't know... They couldn't have found out..."

Yet Haru's mother stood in the doorway, sobbing as Aika huffed to a halt at the door.

Aika cursed herself a thousand times over inside. _You heard Earthbender and you still focused on playing hero! This is why we stay on objective, not getting distracted by every sob story of every town, just to spite the Fire Nation! I have my own rights to wrong!_

Aika moved to the woman's side, pulling her hand into her own, placing the last full strand of coins in the woman's hands. Aika whispered, "It's not much, but it'll hold you until I return with Haru, at the very least."

She looked at Aika's unreadable face. "Y-You-"

"I'm going to go get your son. I promised to protect you both, and I don't break promises." And with that, she was racing down the hill again, straight for town.

* * *

A Firebending soldier platoon was walking through the town, six in a line. They filed past several buildings, and with a soft cry, the final soldier disappeared into a doorway. Aika easily knocked him out, dragging him out back and managing to shove him into storage barrel- not before stealing his armor. She didn't have the muscles but they were at least similar in height. Switching into the armor, with haunting white mask slid into the face of the helmet, she quickly slipped out the building, off to the outpost.

A soldier at the front asked, "Where have you been, Chang? Your squad reported you missing."

Aika's voice turned rough and manly, "Sorry for the delay, heard some Earth punks talking shit."

The soldier smirked. "'Course. Anyway, your squad's escorting the ship to the Coal Prison."

Aika nodded. "Thanks." She slipped into the outpost, easily finding the group she'd be travelling with.

They didn't talk much before they marched to the ship, splitting them between lookout on deck and watching the prisoners, Aika assigned to the latter. Haru sat in a cell but Aika knew she couldn't take down an entire ship. She'd wait until the rig, where she could sneak him out quietly. Here, she'd have to overthrow several dozen soldiers, something she wasn't capable of without threatening her position.

Her enemy could never know she was drawing closer.

As Aika cautiously stood guard, she couldn't help but think of her search.

Five years, she'd been pursuing him now. It was hard, trying to follow a man with his status and resources, always running around. But she'd hung on, trying to predict where he'd go. Lately, his patterns were completely abandoned: he was after something, and Aika had a feeling what.

It wasn't coincidence that word of the Avatar returning came at the same time the Fire Nation general started racing across the earth. She just may have to use that to her advantage, if they were still in the village when she returned.

But for now, she just had to stay alive and hidden. She wouldn't let Haru be imprisoned for life when she had a promise to fulfill. Promises were so easily broken, she worried at times that just speaking would break them, including the one that directed her life.

Kill him. Kill him at all costs, even that of her life. Her purpose was this, nothing more or less. It was all she could bear, all she could be capable of. She knew after her job was done, she would never have existed, she'll have disappeared from the narrative. But to her, the end was worth the consequences.

As they reached the rig, Aika filed off, standing to the side of the prisoners as the warden lectured them. His condescending tone was annoying, though nothing that she couldn't withstand. As the rest of her squad returned to the boat, she instead followed to the guard outpost overlooking the yard.

Looking out through the mask eyes, she strained her ears to the sounds of the other guards talking.

"I heard that we're getting another shipment tonight, got a bunch of Earthbenders from along the coastline."

"Already? Five today, who knows how many tonight, when do these bugs stop coming out of the woodwork?"

"Once we squash them, Cho."

Aika fumed, glad she was hidden behind the mask. You could've seen her blood boiling with the rage in her eyes.

Yet she stood still, surveying the rig.

From the prison yard, little was accessible but if Aika could get Haru to the soldier's area... Knock out a guard, give Haru the costume, and they could leave on the next ship out.

She had to wait, if there was a ship tonight, she couldn't get to Haru and act in time- it was already noon. She needed to act at night, when Firebending was weaker and she could remain hidden.

She could see Haru, sitting with a cluster of Earthbenders through the mealtime until they were sent off to work on repairing the ships. Aika kept her eyes on Haru at all times, who seemed glued to the side of one of the elder benders there.

It wasn't until the ship arrived at sundown that Aika realized her job was getting difficult.

The girl who had traveled with the Avatar, the Waterbender, was here.

She stayed with Haru in the exercise yard until she pulled one of the most idiotic moves Aika had ever seen, standing on a table and attempting to start a rebellion.

Ridiculous. The Fire Nation was beyond anyone's power to resist anymore. This stupid girl was brave, Aika would admit, but still stupid.

Night fell and Aika patrolled the perimeter, having found out that the next ship to arrive would be in a week. She just hoped that nothing would interfere with her plans until then.

A flash of movement caught her eye, something moving outside the rig.

Aika moved to the rail, curious, finding a familiar sight: a flying bison.

The Water Nation boy, Sokka, sat on the bison, the Avatar and Katara on the edge. Aika would never give the Fire Nation the satisfaction of having the Avatar, though she wasn't about to stand and watch.

She slowly approached, hissing, "What are you three doing here?"

Aang whirled, about to blast her back with air, but she slid the face mask off, showing her angry glare. Aang wondered, "Aika?"

Aika didn't answer, just repeating, "Why are you here?"

Katara said, "We came to save Haru."

Aika growled, "I have that covered, now get out of here before you screw over my position here."

Katara protested, "But we can't just leave all these people here!"

Aika sighed in exasperation. "You can and you will! A mass prison break in this area would be impossible. I'll get Haru out of here, just go before you cause trouble for me."

Sokka agreed, "Come on, Katara, the scary lady with the armor has a point. Staying won't help anyone."

Katara wouldn't bend though. "I'm not leaving these people!"

Aika cussed under her breath, eyes flicking to the path. "Soldiers incoming. Either leave or follow me." She softly ran to a collection of shipment crates, the others following as Aang sent off his bison.

In the cover of the crates, Aika pulled off the helmet, letting her pale skin gleam, her braid tied up so not to show under the helmet. "Okay, if you insist on getting Haru out of here yourselves, fine, but don't you dare do something that's going to get me killed."

Katara scowled. "Wow, aren't you selfless?"

Aika growled, "I have a purpose, water girl. I intend to live long enough to fulfill it. Now, if you have some genius plan to get all the benders off this rock, be my guest, I'll pitch in what I can, but if not, get Haru and go."

Katara looked down. "If we just had earth... They could bend their way out without any trouble."

Aika pessimistically muttered, "And this place is made of metal. There's no earth to bend."

Aang looked up. "Yes, there is." He pointed at the smokestacks. "I bet they're burning coal in there!"

Aika blinked, staring at the black smoke. "Yeah, it's coal." She'd seen the boiler system inside on her rounds. She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. "But there are hundreds of pounds and no way to move them without bending. It would take every bender down there to move all of that down to the yard."

Sokka brightened. "But the system is ventilated! We can force the coal through the air shafts!"

Aika stared at the rig for a moment, considering, then slowly said, "That... just might work. But you'd have to be guaranteed the Earthbenders would actually take their chance."

Katara questioned, "And why wouldn't they?"

Aika looked at her seriously, eyes seeming much older than 16. "Kid, some things you can't bounce back from. These guys may be too deep to come back up." She slipped on her helmet, holding the mask slide. "If the Earthbenders take the coal, I'll take down the Warden. So I'd appreciate it if you'd avoid hitting anyone in my costume too hard." She put the face slide in, turning away and resuming her walk.

* * *

Aika took a flanking position behind the Warden when they approached a rebelling Katara, Aika carefully watching as the coal flew up from the vent.

Katara yelled, "Here's your chance, Earthbenders! Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!"

Yet very few moved, most away from the coal.

The Warden laughed hysterically. "Foolish girl. You thought a few inspirational words and a few pieces coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago! Oh, but you believed in them? How sweet. You've wasted your energy, little girl. You failed."

Suddenly, a boot hit the Warden across the face. He staggered back, gasping. Aika removed her helmet, tossing it aside, looking quite annoyed. "Getting sick of your shit, Warden." She grabbed him by the front of the shirt, pulling a dagger from her sleeve and putting it to his neck. "I don't like listening to men yelling about how they're superior to others. Especially not cocky assholes like you." The Firebenders around them readied to attack her but were suddenly pelted with a quick assault of coal clumps.

Half the Firebenders turned to Haru, who had another volley of coal spiraling his hand, the rest turning to Aika and their captive Warden.

Aika smirked at Katara. "I was getting impatient." A Firebender lunged for her, afraid to burn the Warden, but she shoved the high ranking bender into his lackey, the two toppling. Fire now flew freely at the girl, but she ducked and weaved, hair singed but her armor mostly protecting her body, though growing uncomfortably hot. She slashed her knife across the hand of a Firebender, the bender recoiling. She ripped off the shoulder pads of her armor, using it to violently hit the bender in the head, effectively knocking him out. She repeated this once again with another with the lower set of pads, her remaining two adversaries attempting to come from front and back and trap her in the fire.

Aika smirked, throwing the knife at the one in front of her, it hitting him in the head, ricocheting off the helmet but dazing him. Fire grazed her back as she ran forward, tackling the first down, ripping his helmet off and throwing it at the second, hitting him in the chest. She grabbed his arm and twisted, digging her elbow into his ribs then punching him directly under the mask, making him fall to his knees, clutching his throat.

Aika sighed. "They're not as good as they used to be." She stripped off the rest of the uniform, too hot with multiple layers of clothing on. Now back into her Fire Nation green and brown, she let her slightly burnt braid down, a few frayed pieces sticking out. She took in the Earthbenders who now had torn a hole in the prison wall, now flooding out.

She started after them until she felt heat growing behind her, causing her to instinctively sidestep, turning as she did to see the Warden back up, fists still smoking and aimed at her. "You dare to attack and insult me, mutt?! I can see it, you're one of those impure creatures who dare to mix Fire Nation blood with Earth Kingdom!"

Aika's eyes turned cold and hard as emerald. "Yeah, I'm a hybrid. So I'd be getting over it." She raised her fists. "And I may not be one of your pureblooded Fire Nation kids, but I could kick every one of their asses, without any damn bending."

The warden scoffed. "No half-breed will defeat me."

Aika recovered a dark smile. "No, I've never defeated a general or a soldier." She lunged forward, the Warden shooting fire but she leaned around it, grabbing his wrist from the side, eyes coldly peering into his. "But I've killed a few."

The warden panicked, his free hand latching onto her right. "Burn, mutt!" She wrenched her arm away as his hand gave off enough heat to burn through her arm guard, burning it off. Underneath, streaks of red in branching patterns, each thread thin, all originating at the center of her palm where her skin was ruby red in a starburst of of scarlet. The lightning-like markings covered her arm from palm to elbow, faint and weak at the fingers so it was difficult to see.

The warden stared at her hand, releasing and backing away nervously. "You... You're that mutt who's been terrorizing the Fire Nation's settlements!"

Aika scowled, pushing the charred remains of her glove off. "Yes. Finally understand why you should be afraid of me?"

The warden faltered, shifting uncertainly, Aika taking advantage to swoop in, elbowing him in the sternum, effectively knocking the wind out of him, picking up a discarded spear as he staggered and drove it into his back quickly. He gasped, falling forward.

Aika pulled the spear away, tossing it off. "Huh. You think your blood is so special. It just runs like the coward you are."

She turned to the boats, jogging over in time to jump aboard. She found herself standing next to Katara, Tyro, and Haru.

Haru said, "I wanted to thank you for saving us." He looked between the two girls. "All of us."

Aika glanced away. "Just keeping a promise." She awkwardly moved to the very front of the ship, carefully hiding her right arm behind her back.

Katara modestly said, "All it took was a little coal."

Haru shook his head. "It wasn't just the coal, Katara. It was you."

Tyro put a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara of the Water Tribe. My family, and everyone here, owes you much."

"So, I guess you're going home now."

Tyro nodded. "Yes, to take back my village." He raised a fist, proclaiming, "To take back all of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"

A cheer rose from every ship as Aika muttered, "You're fighting a lost cause."

Katara turned to her, frowning. "What?"

Aika solemnly said, "They can't drive out the Fire Nation. If they could, they would've won this war already."

Katara's frown grew. "You don't believe that. If you did, you wouldn't have helped us."

Aika sniped, "I helped you because taking shots at the Fire Nation is my life's purpose. No one can beat them but I'm around to show that they don't own all of us. Not yet."

Katara warned, "Thinking like that is just asking for them to win. You're giving up."

"No, I'm not. I'm showing them that they can't rule the world, even if they've won. There's a difference. I play a one-on-all game with them."

Katara looked sadly at the girl as Haru shook her out of it. "Don't listen to Aika. She's just a bit down on her luck." He paused. "You should come with us."

Katara shook her head. "I can't. Your mission is to free your villages. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole."

Aika's ears rang. _The North Pole._

He'd been moving North. He _was_ following the Avatar. If he was following the Avatar...

Aika suddenly announced, "I'm coming with you."

Katara blinked. "What?"

Aika repeated, "I'm coming with you. I'll help get the Avatar to the North Pole."

Katara frowned. "Why would you help us? I thought you were in it for yourself, to stick it to the Fire Nation?"

Aika smirked convincingly. "And what better way to give them the finger than to keep the one the think can take down their empire out of their hands?"

Katara hesitated. "...Well, if it's alright with Aang and Sokka, I guess you can come."

Aika nodded. "I'll take that." Keeping her arm carefully positioned so not to be seen, she excused, "I'm going to look below to see if I can find some food quick. I'll be right up." Katara watched as she moved below the deck, moving to Aang and Sokka on Appa.

She said, "Guys, we may have a new member of the group."

Aang smiled. "Haru's joining us?"

Katara shook her head. "No, Aika asked if she could come."

Sokka's eyes bulged. "You don't think she'll... ya know, attack us?"

Katara explained, "I think Aika's just trying to fight the Fire Nation but she's always had to do it alone. If she comes with us..."

Aang finished, "We could get her to be a team player!"

Sokka frowned. "I dunno. I feel like my place as the team's non-bender is being threatened."

Katara smiled. "You're the best non-bender around, Sokka. Don't worry, no one's replacing you."

Aang matched her smile. "I say she comes!"

Sokka considered for a second. "Well, she _is_ a really good fighter, and we need all the help we can get..." He nodded. "Aika's welcome, if you ask me."

Katara smiled. "Great! I'll let her know." She dove below deck, following the corridor to find Aika at the end, standing in front of a collection of crates. Katara greeted, "Aika, good news!"

Aika whirled, half finished bandages around her right arm, showing traces of red on her arm. Katara looked at her with concern, the red looking like blood. "Are you hurt?"

Aika wouldn't meet her eyes, quickly finishing the bandage up to her elbow. "I'm fine, just a scratch."

Katara worriedly asked, "Are you sure? That looked bad."

Aika shook her head. "It's nothing. It'll heal up soon enough. So, good news?"

Katara seemed hesitant to change the subject but obliged, "The others agreed you can come with us to the North Pole!"

Aika smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Katara asked, "Are you really okay? You seemed pretty hurt."

Aika nodded. "It's nothing I can't heal from. Thanks for the concern, though water girl."

Katara asked, "Would you mind calling me Katara?"

Aika rolled her eyes. "Yes, I mind. To me, you're Water Girl until you prove me otherwise."

Katara giggled a bit. "Well, we'll have some time to work on that. Come on, we're leaving soon."

Aika nodded. "Then let's go."

* * *

They soon were on Appa's back, most waving goodbye to those on the ship, Aika barely glancing behind her.

Once they were in the air, Aang called back, "Hey, now that you're part of the team, can I ask why you hate that general? You were freaking out in the barn about it."

Aika sighed. "... I guess it's only fair to tell you." She closed her eyes. "I've been tasked by my old village to find the Fire Nation general who burnt my home to the ground."

Sokka's eyes widened. "You know his name?"

Aika nodded slightly. "Zhao. To be accurate, Commander Zhao."


	2. Chapter 2: The Winter Solstice, Part 1

**Oh my God, the love this story got! I wasn't expecting this much success, but you guys are amazing! If this story keeps gaining steam, I'm going to have to make it a larger priority in my writing schedule! But thank you all so much for following and favoriting, and the reviews are always helpful to inspire my chapters!**

 **KnightOwl: Thank you so much! I really hope to keep this story at a high-level of writing standard and keep this story realistic to their world. No, Aika's mixed heritage won't be giving her anything but extreme emotional trouble. Yaaaaay... XD Anyway, thank you for your review!**

Chapter 2: The Winter Solstice, The Spirit World

"Zhao?"

Aika nodded. "Yes, he's a Commander who's moved through the ranks by questionable methods and burned everything in his path. Bad temper, cruel, and ruthless. I've spent four years trying to chase him down."

Aang frowned. "Revenge doesn't solve anything, in my experience."

Aika insisted, "This isn't about revenge, it's about making sure no one else has to watch their village be burned, Avatar. You want Zhao to go around, torching more villages? Mine's dust now, dust and graves. I intend on making sure mine is the only of its kind."

It was quiet for a moment before Katara asked, "Were... Were your parents...?"

Aika nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I lost them in the fire."

Katara put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. We lost our mother in a Fire Nation raid."

Aika nodded. "Hey, we've all lost something to this war." Aika privately thought, _Some of us more than others._

* * *

They were soaring through the air, quiet after the sobering conversation. Yet a few hours later, they were in a good enough mood to be playful again. Katara looked out at the clouds, commenting about the transparent puffs but Aika was completely cut off. Near the back of the saddle, sitting and meditating with legs crossed. Despite the whipping wind and Aang's whoops of joy as he dove through the air, Aika's expression remained completely neutral, immersed in her breathing exercises.

Yet Katara's voice drew her attention. "What is that?"

Aika's interest peaked, cracking open an eye, both widening in surprise as she looked ahead.

Several miles forward, a massive strip of the forest had burned to the ground along a river, a black cut across the land.

Sokka murmured, "It's like a scar."

Aika felt her throat tighten with memory, eyes staring off into the distance blankly. _Trees burning, the river churning quietly as if nothing were happening. Horrible amber eyes-_

"Let's land and see what happened."

Aika was shaken from her state of silence by Aang's comment, shaking her head. "No. I'm betting this was Fire Nation, and if they were here, they could still be here."

Aang frowned. "I want to get a closer look."

Aika closed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Suit yourself."

Appa landed in the burnt out forest, all but Aika dismounting Appa. The girl still sat in the saddle, eyes closed and ignoring the kids who now mourned the forest. She muttered to herself, "Damn Firebenders..." Looking at her right hand, she looked at the edges of the lightning pattern scars that lightly traced her fingers.

They never considered the consequences of their damn war. They never paused to look at the victims.

Yet a new voice broke her yet again from her focus. "When I saw the flying bison... I thought it was impossible. But... Those markings. Are you the Avatar, child?"

Aika sat up, turning to see an old man had approached, now standing by Aang. Grumbling, "We need to disguise this kid better," she climbed out of the saddle, dropping down and walking closer.

Aang looked to Katara, the girl nodding and Aang also nodding his agreement.

The old man begged, "My village desperately needs your help."

Instantly, Aika first instinct was to deny they had any time to spare. She had a mission! Zhao needed to pay for his crimes! Yet looking at this man's desperate face, she knew that she couldn't have denied him, much less her soft-hearted new companions.

The group shared a quick glance before Aang smiled. "Then the Avatar is here to help."

The old man smiled. "Thank you, Avatar. This way."

The elder man led them through the burnt stumps and into the part of the forest still standing, Appa slowly stomping along behind them, loud as a tank. Soon, they reached a small village, though it was obvious that they were in trouble. Several buildings were shattered to pieces, no one in the streets.

The man brought them to the largest building, at the end of the town's main street, Aika, however, pausing at the door just long enough to pull the edge of her braid loose, covering the notch in her right ear. Following, she looked around cautiously between the people inside the building, yet no eyes gave her more than a glance. The old man was introducing, "This young man... is the Avatar!"

A middle-aged man approached, smiling softly and hands folded in a respectful bowing position. "So the rumors of your return are true." He bowed, Aang bowing in response. "It is the greatest honor to be in your presence."

Aang smiled and innocently greeted, "It's nice to meet you too. So... Is there something I can help you with?"

Aika could barely contain a sigh- the boy was so young and immature, yet he was somehow the freaking Avatar!

The village leader hesitated. "I'm... not sure."

The old man insisted, "Our village is in crisis! He's our only hope! For the past three days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Hei Bai, the Black and White Spirit."

Sokka solemnly asked, "Why is it attacking you?"

The village leader helplessly sighed. "We do not know. But each night, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the Winter Solstice is approaching."

Katara inquired, "What happens then?"

The old man explained, "As a solstice approaches, the Natural World and the Spirit World grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely."

The leader looked out the door to the setting sun. "Hei Bai is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here... There is no telling what will happen."

Aang seemed nervous now, asking, "So... What is it you want me to do, exactly?"

The old man stepped forward. "Who better to solve a crisis between our world and the Spirit World than the Avatar himself. You are the great bridge between man and spirits."

Aang slowly agreed, "Riight, that's me."

Aika suddenly said, "Aang, a word?" The hybrid walked off to the porch, Katara and Sokka close as Aang followed. Turning, Aika asked, "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Aang frowned anxiously. "No, the monks never taught me any of this. I don't know anything about the Spirit World!" Sokka and Katara shared a surprised glance, Aang defending, "It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!"

Aika chided, "Calm down, kid. Think. You've committed to helping these people, now make a plan on how to do it."

Aang still seemed unsure. "Well... Maybe what I'm supposed to do will just come to me."

Aika looked out at the sun, which was dipping below the horizon. "Well, it had better come fast."

Katara smiled. "Don't worry, I think you can do it, Aang."

Sokka gave a small smile. "Yeah... We're all going to be eaten by a spirit monster."

Aika admitted, "A possibility, though I don't think they eat people... often."

Sokka, Katara, and Aika walked back into the main hall, Aang walking down the main street, yelling for the spirit.

Sokka watched out the window, insisting, "This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up."

Aika calmly sat, settling back into her meditation nearby, coolly stating, "Aang has the best chance of doing anything against a spirit, Ponytail. I doubt your boomerang would even annoy it."

Sokka shot her a quick glare that went completely unanswered. "He still shouldn't have to face this alone!"

The sun fell, yet nothing happened, Aang beginning to return to the main hall as the spirit suddenly emerged from the forest, creeping behind Aang. As he began to speak with it, it suddenly roared and began to destroy as much as possible, Aang chasing it around like a parent to a toddler in a tantrum.

The village leader frowned. "The Avatar's methods are... unusual."

Sokka shook his head. "It doesn't seem too interested in what he's saying. Maybe we should go help him."

Aika's eyes opened as she ordered, "You'll keep your ass in here if you want to stay alive, Ponytail."

Yet as Aang was knocked into a nearby building, Sokka snapped, "That's it, I'm going out there!"

Katara yelled, "Sokka, wait!"

Aika stood quickly, protesting, "You're can't fight something like that with a stick, Ponytail!"

Yet he rushed out, a villager holding Katara back, Aika not even attempting to follow. The hybrid shook her head. "Damn pig-headed boy's going to get himself killed..."

Katara looked to the hybrid. "Well?! Aren't you going to help?"

Aika narrowed her eyes. "At this point, either they beat it or they don't. My interference won't change anything." _Besides, I can't risk my life all the time. Not with my mission on the line._

Sokka's boomerang, true to Aika's prediction, did nothing, the boy quickly being snatched up by the spirit as Hei Bai raced off into the trees with the Water Tribe boy.

Aang yelled for him as he gave chase with his glider, Katara following on foot only to stop at the town gates.

Aika stared out at the group, rebraiding her hair as she approached Katara. "I warned him. I warned him, and he went anyway."

Katara whirled on her, demanding, "How can you talk like that?! A spirit just took him and you act like it was his fault!"

Aika evenly said, "Because it was." Finishing the braid, she walked forward. "Stay here in case they come back. I'll go find them."

Katara blinked after the girl as Aika disappeared into the trees, softly pleading to no one, "Aang, Aika... Please bring him back."

* * *

Searching the woods, Aika walked the tree-lined paths all through the night and the next day, green eyes flicking place to place with hunger. She had to find the Avatar- he was her way of finding Zhao. If she was back to chasing him with no idea of where he was going, she'd be running after him for another four years. She couldn't waste her time like that, even on something as important as this.

Aika fiddled with the bandages she still had wrapped around her arm, hiding her gruesome scar. She would find her peace once she killed Zhao. She had to end it, the sooner the better.

She fought the creeping fear she was wasting her time with the Avatar. She knew the war couldn't be won against the Fire Nation anymore. She may lie to others about her goals, though she wouldn't lie to herself. She knew her end was personal and knew the means she'd go to. They simply were beyond what others would condone.

A strange sound greeted her ears, causing her to turn. Off in the distance, she could hear angry voices and Earthbending. Her curiosity took over and she ran toward the sound, off into the trees until she found a rocky hillside, a small gathering of people at the base of the hill.

Most were Earth Kingdom soldiers, instantly peaking Aika's interest and suspicion- she'd had a few run-ins with less than desirable members of the army. A strangely almost-naked man knelt at a large stone, hands spread before him and held in place with chains. He was obviously Fire Nation, by his pale skin and defining top-knot, surprise filling her mind.

She'd seen that face often when she was learning as a child. The first son of Azulon, the prince who had almost been the current Fire Lord- General Iroh.

She'd seen that face once before, though it hadn't been so serious. It had been playful and kind.

Thinking curses on herself, she quickly read the situation, sighing mentally. _Well, I'm probably going to regret this._ She looked upward to see their ostrich-horses were calmly standing on the path still. The soldiers still talking, Aika raced around the clearing and up the hillside, onto the road.

By the time she reached the top, grabbing the reins of the ostrich-horses, they had a boulder hovering in the air.

Aika yelled, "Excuse me gentlemen, but..." She held the reins in the air. "Would these be your mounts?"

A soldier scowled and yelled, "Step away from the ostrich-horses, girl! We're on Earth Kingdom business and you have no right to interfere!"

Aika smirked. "That makes this so much more appealing, then." She released the reins and slapped one of the ostrich-horses behind the saddle, the creature squawking in surprise and running off on the road, the others following.

A soldier thrust his arms back, the ground rocketing forward under his feet and carrying him after the animals as Aika ran straight down the hill toward the soldiers. Boulders flew at her as she ran, diving and swerving to avoid them, approaching in an unstoppable charge.

Ten feet before the bottom of the hill, she jumped straight into the air, a rock hitting where she'd stood, crashing into the bender who'd thrown it at her. He groaned from taking the shock of her landing as she ripped his belt off, whirling on her heel to run to the next.

The leader, a captain, from his clothes, yelled, "Stop her!"

Several boulders flew toward her yet she dove forward, somersaulting under the rocks and rolling to her feet just before another soldier. She lashed the belt around his wrist then swung her arm, dragging him off balance and he stepped into the boulder that was about to hit her.

He fell to the ground as Aika pulled the belt loose from his arm, a soldier having the earth crawl over her feet to keep her stuck.

She smirked, hands on her hips. "Well, guess you've got me."

The soldier carefully approached, yet not carefully enough. She flicked her hand out, the leather belt snapping out at his neck and wrapping around. She pulled forward, the man falling forward. She snatched his hat, using its edge to shatter the earth on her feet, stealing his belt as well.

The captain was the only one left. He raised his fists, scowling. His eyes landed on her ear and his scowl deepened. "A mutt with Fire Nation allegiances. You disgusting creature."

Aika's eyes turned cold, her smirk disappearing quickly, hardening into a hateful curve. "And people wonder why I have blurred alliances." She flung the hat at the man, though he easily pushed it away with his hand as Aika raced forward, brutally lashing the belts out the knock the boulders coming her way to the side.

She spun in the air, heel slamming into his ear and knocking him down. He groaned, falling to the ground as she swiftly tied his hands behind his back with a belt.

Standing, breathing hard, she glanced at the old man. "Hey."

He stared at the girl, slightly surprised, yet smiling. "Hello. I quite appreciate your help. Would I happen to know you?"

Aika's confident smirk returned. "Yes, actually. Not well, but yes." She took the captain's helmet, using its sharp edge to shatter the chains. "I used to be in the army. I delivered a message to you several years ago from General Shu."

Iroh stood, curious. "Well, thank you for your help. I'm not sure I would've escaped alone. Though I must ask, did you truly assist me only out of a short meeting and Fire Nation loyalties?"

Aika shook her head. "I'm loyal only to myself, General Iroh. The Earth Kingdom will lose this war but I won't side with the Fire Nation any longer. Though from what I know, you're a good man, and in my experience, not all Earth Kingdom soldiers are." She threw a hateful glance at the groaning captain, thinking of how many times a soldier like himself had spit on her for being half Fire Nation.

Iroh looked at her carefully. "That is a dangerous path, my new friend. Be sure it doesn't get you into trouble."

Aika's smirk grew. "I've been looking for trouble. Now, I suggest you make it somewhere safe before they wake up or more soldiers arrive." She suddenly whipped her head to the side at the sound of loud stomping, warning, "Incoming."

Iroh smiled, pushing to his knees, Aika averting her eyes from the still barely-clothed man. "Don't worry, that would be my nephew."

Aika nodded. "Then I'll leave you in his hands. Careful though, that soldier who went after the ostrich-horses will be back soon." And she raced off from the hillside, her long, dark braid flying out behind her as she disappeared into the treeline.

A royal-armored teen rode forward on a komodo-rhino, angrily looking around. He caught a glimpse of a dark braid and Earth Kingdom colors vanishing into the forest, yet didn't concern himself with this. He came to Iroh, asking, "Are you alright, Uncle?"

Iroh smiled. "Fine, nephew. Thank you for coming."

The teen looked around, taking in the fallen soldiers. "You didn't need my help, apparently. I didn't know you had it in you."

Iroh shook his head. "This wasn't me, Zuko. I had a little help." He looked off to the trees where Aika had gone, Zuko following his gaze.

The young man contemplated this, then decided, "We'll talk later. First-" He wrinkled his nose slightly. "Would you put on some clothes, already?"

* * *

 _"General Iroh, sir!"_

 _The general turned, finding a young girl in black wild black hair pulled back as if proudly baring the notch in her right ear. Panting and face gleaming with sweat, her emerald and gold eyes reflected her exhaustion, yet she smiled proudly, holding a scroll up for him in her shaking hands. "G-General Shu sent me with this... A storm... Has been... Blocking messenger hawks..."_

 _Iroh took the scroll from her outstretched hand, and her arm fell. He asked, "What's your name, child?"_

 _The girl blinked, obviously surprised. "Aika, sir."_

 _Iroh smiled. "Go back three tents, you'll find the kitchens. Feel free to rest here until you get your strength back. General Shu is positioned in the Southern Earth Kingdom, correct?" She nodded. "Then you traveled far. Thank you, Aika."_

 _She grinned, bright eyes pooling with pride. "Thank you, General!"_

Iroh sat cross-legged with his tea as he recalled the first time he'd met the young girl. She'd been younger and much less violent back then, simply a messenger for the Fire Nation.

He'd explained both his first meeting with Aika and his newest encounter with her to Zuko, yet his mind was troubled. It was common knowledge that Iroh had taken on Zuko's status when he'd joined him in banishment. In addition, Aika had claimed she had no lingering ties to the Fire Nation.

So why assist him?

Zuko took one thing from this. "She's a mutt?"

Iroh strictly ordered, "A person, Zuko. There's no such thing as a mutt."

Zuko looked away, ignoring his uncle's words. "So? If she helped you, she's obviously aligned with the Fire Nation."

Iroh shook his head. "She denied it, Prince Zuko. I find it difficult to believe she would lie about her allegiances to those she sides with."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Then she's against us, though foolish enough to help her enemy."

Iroh shook his head. "Not all who fight are fighting for anything. Some simply battle for their own needs."

Zuko couldn't deny that. He'd fought for everything his entire life, and he was still fighting for his honor. "Still, if she's a rogue, we need to make sure she won't interfere." He had a growing suspicion in the back of his mind, though he wasn't sure if it was valid enough to propose to his uncle. After all, it was only hunches based on coincidence.

Yet if it meant something that a girl near the age of the Avatar's company was around at the same time as he'd seen the sky bison were within miles of each other...

If this girl was with the Avatar, he felt there were going to be problems in the future.

* * *

Aika returned to the village in the middle of the night, wading through bamboo she didn't recognize being at the front of the village. Emerging into the town, it was even more demolished than before, people standing throughout the streets.

Aika caught sight of Aang, Katara, and Sokka, walking up and sighing. "I leave for a day and I come back to find you broke an entire town and got back Sokka." Aika hung her head exhaustedly. "I get the feeling this is going to be a pattern."

Aang smiled. "We don't break towns as often, though it's never very boring."

Aika looked up, smirking. "I hope so. I'm not used to boring."

The village chief approached, smiling broadly. "Thank you, Avatar. If only there were a way to repay you for what you have done."

Sokka honestly said, "You could give us some supplies, and some money."

Katara elbowed her brother. "Sokka!"

Sokka shamelessly asked, "What? We need stuff."

The chief bowed. "It would be an honor to help prepare you for your journey."

He walked off to most likely retrieve their items as Katara suddenly noticed the dirt on Aika. "Did you get into a fight with a boulder or something?"

Aika seamlessly lied, "Ha ha, but no. I was walking on a hillside road and the edge gave out. I took a little roll down the hill, but nothing life-threatening."

Katara nodded and turned her attention to Aang. "I'm so proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do all on your own."

Aang admitted, "Actually, I did have a little help. And there's something else." A look of worry settled on his face, very foreign to his usual smile.

Sokka asked, "What is it?"

Aang explained, "I need to talk to Roku, and I think I found a way to contact his spirit."

Katara smiled. "That's great!"

Sokka agreed, "Creepy, but great."

Aang continued, "There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with him."

Aika finished, "And there's the catch."

Katara fussed, "But the solstice is tomorrow."

Aang looked away. "Yeah, and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation."

Sokka's face went into blank shock and Katara's smile became a panicked grimace, yet Aika just sighed. "Two catches, then." The three looked at her. "If we're going to the Fire Nation, then we're going to need to pass over a blockade and get through any security the temple would have. Is talking to Roku really worth that?"

Aang asserted, "I have to speak with him if we want to win the war."

Aika held back a snort. The Earth Kingdom had been losing ground for 100 years. Having the Avatar wasn't going to suddenly change a century of disadvantage. Yet she put aside her doubt- four years of work was on the line. "Then let's move out as soon as possible. It's a long way to Crescent Island."

Aang blinked. "You know where the island is?"

Aika shortly answered, "I know my way around the world, Aang. I've been living in it a long time. Now let's keep it moving."

Aang frowned. "... I- I'm not sure you guys should come."

Katara frowned, obviously hurt. "What? Why?"

"I don't want you to get hurt! I could just fly over with Appa and come back, but if you guys got hurt because of me..."

Sokka insisted, "We're coming with you!"

Aika cut in, "Enough, you two." She sighed. "I understand enough about a person's own path, so if Aang says he has to go alone, then that's his choice." She looked him in the eye. "Just make sure it's the right one, kid."

Aang nodded, hopping up onto Appa and straightening things in the saddle. Sokka glared at Aika. "You don't seem to get how friends work."

Aika agreed, "I don't, because I've never had any. I've had allies, I've had enemies. End of story."

Katara insisted, "But we're your friends now. And when you're friends with someone, you don't let them go off and do stupid things all alone!"

Aika towered half a head above Katara, the amber flecks in her eyes gleaming. "Katara, if you wanted revenge for your mother, would you let anyone stop you?"

Katara's eyes widened and her face became solemn. "... No. But I would let someone help."

Aika shook her head. "You're too optimistic, kid. Not everyone who seems to be on your side is." She walked off to the villagers, Katara looking after her with a frown.

The young Waterbender couldn't help but wonder: _Can we really trust you, then?_


	3. Chapter 3: The Winter Solstice, Part 2

**I know, I know this took waaaay too long. I just got really distracted with my story Guildless, and I've had to rethink a few things about this story. I had to rework all of my research and plans for the story, and had to rewrite this chapter maybe... four times? Ugh, so this still isn't the best it could've been, but I'm trying to stay as true to the series canon as possible, so hear me out! Thank you to everyone who followed/favorited! It makes it feel so much more special to know people enjoy reading what I'm writing!**

 **Kmbrun: *blush* Thank you! I worked hard to make a cohesive connection between characters, and I'm glad you like it! Though to clarify, Aika knows WHO Zuko is, though has never met him personally. Thank you for reviewing!**

 **KnightOwl: Thank you, and I think you'll enjoy how I play around with the connections between the different characters! Thanks for reviewing!**

Chapter 3: The Winter Solstice: Avatar Roku

Aika returned from talking to the locals about any Fire Nation commanders in the area to find that Sokka and Katara were in the saddle with Aang. Sighing, she approached, asking, "I assume we're all going now?"

Aang nodded. "They convinced me. You don't have to come-"

"Actually, I do. The best chance I have to finding Zhao is with you." With that, she swiftly jumped up, pushing off Appa's leg to the saddle, pulling herself in. "Besides, you bunch don't know much about the Fire Nation. I know their protocols and customs. If we run into anyone, you'll need to know what I do." She looked matter-of-factly at Aang but he could tell it was hiding a stronger emotion: anger.

She was angry at Zhao, he would guess, and wanted revenge. He might've been younger than her, but he wasn't stupid. This wasn't justice, she wanted. That much was extremely evident to him.

Aika encouraged, "Come on, we literally only have today, so stop wasting it. No one's going to get hurt."

Aang nodded hesitantly as the village chief handed him a pack. "Take this, now go. Make haste for the Crescent Island."

Aang smiled. "Thank you for-"

The chief pointed to the West and ordered, "Go!"

Aang nodded, calling, "Yip yip!" The group calmly hung on, watching as the ground grew small below them, melting into the wide expanse of the ocean rather quickly.

Aika, despite her white knuckles, coolly asked, "So to completely cover this, we're going to the Fire Nation to talk with the ghost of a previous reincarnation of yourself?"

Aang smiled. "That's about it."

Aika sighed. "I was afraid so. If my knowledge is reliable, than this Crescent Island you're talking about is called Roku's Temple. It was a temple dedicated to Roku after his death as he reconstructed it once."

Katara asked, "What destroyed it?"

Aika answered, "Roku."

The group exchanged looks as Sokka asked, "How do you know so much about the Fire Nation?"

Aika looked at him with a slightly annoyed edge. "Yeah yeah, I get it. Let's all make fun of the mutt."

Katara frowned. "Mutt?"

Aika showed actual surprise, then chuckled softly, closing her eyes. "Of course, you all wouldn't know. Frozen for a century, isolated in the Water Tribe..." She sighed. "A mutt is a common term for an impure, a half-breed, a hybrid, a half-blood like me. Someone who's parents were from two different nations- usually the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom." She brushed her stray hairs from over her right ear, showing the triangle notch in the top. "This is the mark we're given at birth to show we're mutts."

Sokka's eyes widened. "You... You're-"

"Half Earth Kingdom, half Fire Nation, yes." She solemnly let her hair fall back over the notch, eyes still closed.

Aang protested, "But it doesn't matter where you're from!"

"Maybe back in your day Aang, but today? Very few people trust someone like me. You don't know where their loyalties lie. For me, loyalty is objective. I stay out of the conflict."

Katara paused, then asserted, "Well it doesn't matter to us! You're not with the Fire Nation, so it doesn't matter where you're from."

Sokka's hand still hovered near his club, Katara nudging him and encouraging, "She risked herself to save Haru and helped us free the Earthbenders."

Sokka muttered, "And she could be acting."

Katara looked up at Aika, who now looked off into the distance, expression unreadable. She whispered, "I know, but I think we can trust her. Besides, she's not a bender, and we have the Avatar. If she tries something, we'd have the advantage."

Sokka nodded. "Alright, Katara."

Aang glanced back again, having heard the Water Tribe siblings' conversation, seeing a strange look in Aika's eyes. Before he could try to interpret it or ask, she straightened and pushed to her knees. "We've got a follower!"

The group turned, looking nervously at the the ship that was cruising after them. A gleam appeared down on the ship and Aika whipped her head around. "They're firing the catapult!"

Aang answered, "I'm on it! We'll ditch Zuko!"

Aika's eyes widened as she yelled, "Zuko?!" The fireball flew into the air as Aang steered Appa to the side, veering out of the way.

Aika, quickly adapting to the knowledge, yelled, "We're approaching the blockade! Zuko's banned from the Fire Nation, so if we can fly over the blockade, then he can't pursue us!"

Katara asked, "And how do we get over the blockade?"

Aika ordered, "Get Appa as high as you can, their attacks can only reach so high!"

Aang insisted, "We can fly North and avoid the blockade!"

Aika retorted, "And then it'll be tomorrow when we get to the island. You need to talk to Roku now, and that's what you'll do! Now get higher!"

Katara grinned. "Let's run this blockade!"

Aang called, "Appa, yip yip!" The bison pulled higher into the sky, tail swaying powerfully.

The Gaang in the saddle grabbed the sides desperately, holding on for dear life as Appa dove and swerved, attempting to dodge all the flaming missiles that were flying by. Two of the fireballs clashed in midair, Appa flying through the smoke. As they emerged back into fresh air, the group coughed a bit before patting out the patches of flames on Appa's fur. Yet just as they rose out of range, another fireball flew forward, Appa dodging furiously- and Sokka falling right off the side of the saddle.

"Sokka!"

Appa dove after the falling boy, Aika gripping the edges of the saddle

Aang pulled higher, into the clouds, for more protection, but none came. More fireballs flew toward them, Appa diving through and escaping the onslaught, diving right to the water's level, blowing past a ship. Aika's eyes raked the ship, and for a millisecond, her eyes met another's, green and gold against cruel amber.

"ZHAO!"

As Appa pulled up, Aika prepared to jump from the back of the bison, Katara grabbing her arm, yelling, "What do you think you're doing?!"

Aika hissed, "Let me go! Zhao was on that ship! I can still reach him!"

Sokka insisted, "All you'll do is get yourself killed! You can't help anyone if you drown before you reach the ship!"

"I can make it, just let go!"

Aang floated back now that the danger had passed, grabbing Aika's bandaged arm, not noticing how she winced at the touch. "Please, you can fight him another day! We need you, Aika!"

Aika was silent as she tore her arm from both of their grips and sat back down, voice deadly cold. "If you robbed me of my only chance to face that monster..." She didn't need to finish the threat.

* * *

The rest of the ride went quietly and quickly as they made their way to the Crescent Island. Landing on the edge of the volcanic island, they left Appa and Momo safely on a ridge, hidden by the cliffsides.

Aang praised, "Nice flying, buddy!"

The buffalo rolled over, groaning, Katara petting his stomach as Sokka stretched in the background. "Aw, you must be tired."

Sokka announced, "No, I'm good. Refreshed and ready to fight some Firebenders!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "I was talking to Appa."

Sokka slowly responded spitefully, "Well... I was talking to Momo!"

Aika insisted, "If we're going to go inside the temple, we should move quickly. We don't have much time left until the peak of the solstice."

Aang nodded. "Let's hurry." They made their way up the hillside to the temples doors, Sokka observing, "I don't see any guards."

Aika continued forward, explaining, "There aren't any here. Only the Fire Sages, who care for the temple."

Katara asked, "How did you-"

"Know? I've been chasing Zhao for years and I'm half Fire Nation. It seemed right to look into their traditions. Don't worry, the Fire Sages can't give us too much trouble."

And the group kept moving through the temple, no hesitation in their step as they continued forward until-

Aika whirled, fists raised as she growled, "Company, perfect."

Aang, Katara, and Sokka turned, finding themselves staring at five men, all in red robes and matching priest helms.

The first announced, "We are the-"

Aika finished, "Fire Sages, here to stop us, we know the drill. Go!" The others took her word for it as the first Sage shot a fireball after them, Aang snuffed out the flames with a burst of wind, spinning his staff to counter the flame. Rushing down the next corridor, Aika slammed the doors shut behind them, ripping a lantern from the wall, shoving it through the handles to keep it shut. She whirled, yelling, "Keep going!"

They sprinted down the hall, Aang asking, "I don't understand! If they protect the Avatar's temple, shouldn't they be helping us?!"

Aika shook her head, her braid whipping hitting her own face. "No, the Sages are loyal to the Fire Nation now! I was hoping we wouldn't run into them."

Aang frowned. "Maybe we can talk-"

"Kid, they attacked us! They're not going to be up for diplomacy!"

Their feet pounded on the hallways, Aika in the lead, attempting to navigate the maze of hallways. Left, left, right, right, trying not to lead them back the way they'd come, she didn't want to admit she had no idea where she was going. They simply needed to get away. Aika refused to die before she had a chance to exact her revenge.

They were running out of breath as their next turn left them in a dead end, the hall simply ending, a window at the end. Sokka demanded, "Why'd you lead us here?"

Aika snapped, "I didn't do it on purpose!"

Turning, they found themselves cornered by a Fire Sage. Young for one of the usually graying sages, this man still maintained mousy brown hair underneath his tall biretta, still fairly muscular under his red robes.

The half-blood fell back as Aang stepped forward, his arms raised defensively, the Water Tribe siblings standing on either side of him with fists up as well. Aika behind them, already forming a plan of escape, she fought the urge to immediately abandon ship and jump out the window.

The sage protested, "I don't want to fight you! I am a friend."

Sokka retorted, "Firebenders aren't our friends!" He couldn't see how Aika shrunk back ever so slightly behind him.

The priest stepped forward with hands raised as he knelt with head down at Aang's feet. "I know why you're here, Avatar."

Aang blinked, lowering his guard. "You do?"

"Yes," the man said as he stood. "You wish to speak to Avatar Roku. I can take you to him."

Aang cautiously asked, "How?"

Aika muttered to her companions, "Probably by sending you to the Spirit World. We can't trust the sages!"

The priest promised, "I bear you no ill will. Here," the priest pushed a lantern aside, pressing his hand against a portruding stone. Sparking from his hand, a line of light illuminating in the shape of a door on the wall. Dust falling, the door slid open, a downward rock tunnel inside. "This way."

There wasn't much time for hesitation, as they could hear the other Sages approaching. Aika once again scanned the hall, looking for a makeshift weapon, finding nothing. _So, fighting the Sages is out of the picture for me. Great, so down the tunnel that's probably a trap if I know these guys._

The Sage in front of them urged, "Time is running out, quickly!"

Just as Aika predicted, Aang and Katara shared a nod before following into the tunnel, giving Sokka and the half-blood little choice but to follow, Momo hopping alongside them. The Sage entered, closing the door as he did, he worked his way to the front.

Aika, however, demanded, "Why are you helping us? The Sages have long since abandoned the Avatar. They only work for Ozai now."

The Sage shook his head as they descended down a long staircase. "Not all of us. My grandfather, who knew Avatar Roku, stood against Sozin's plans."

Aang asked, "He knew me?"

"Yes, you used to live on this island, in another life. Roku carved these tunnels from the magma himself. Ever since, the Fire Sages have felt a strong, spiritual connection with this temple."

"That's how you knew I was coming?"

The priest explained, "Several weeks ago, something amazing occurred: the statue of Avatar Roku, it's eyes began to glow."

Katara connected, "That's when we were at the Air Temple! Avatar Roku's eyes were glowing too!"

Aika muttered under her breath, too soft to be heard, "What's my life come to? Spirits and temples and bullshit..."

The priest agreed, "We knew you had returned to the world. The Sages awaited the arrival of the new Avatar, but he never came."

Aang stopped, leaning against the wall, his face fallen to shame. "They were waiting for me."

Sokka put a hand on his shoulder, attempting, "Hey, don't feel bad. You're only one hundred years late!"

Aang glared at Sokka as the Sage continued, "They lost hope the Avatar would ever return, and when Sozin began the war, the Sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other Sages."

Aang inclined his head respectfully, yet Aika still had her doubts. The Avatar said, "Thank you for helping me..."

The Sage smiled at the gesture. "Shyu." Leading them further into the paths, onto a spiraling staircase. "We'll follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then, will you be able to speak with him."

Aika inquired, "And after all this? What will you do, run from the Fire Nation? Stay and face punishment?" From the looks of worry on everyone's faces, it was obvious they hadn't thought about this before.

Shyu, looking back for a moment, couldn't help but notice the notch in her ear currently on display as he answered, "You needn't worry about me. I'll find my way." He opened another door in the same fashion as before, this time as a trap door in the floor of a massive open space. Pillars with golden dragons spiraled around them, a massive door lie in front of them.

The hungry heads of lion-like dragons in front of a flame on the door, it was locked tightly. Shyu rushed to the door, despairing, "No..."

Aang asked, "Shyu, what's wrong?"

"The sanctuary doors, they're closed!"

Katara asked, "Can't you just open this door like the others?"

Aika shook her head as she pressed a hand against the thick door. "No, these doors are opened by firebending. It would take several Firebenders-"

"Or a fully-realized Avatar," Shyu finished. Looking at Aika, he asked, "You are a half-blood; are you capable of Firebending?"

This was obviously a sore spot. Aika immediately turned to a statue, glaring viciously at Shyu. "Don't you think I would've used some fire already if I could? Of course I can't Firebend!"

Shyu raised his hands defensively. "I'm sorry, I was only considering our options."

Sokka suddenly grinned. "Guys! I know how to make five fire blasts!"

Aika arched an eyebrow at him. "This should be good."

* * *

A few lamps later, the Water Tribe boy had invented "fake Firebending," lamp oil in a bag that would ignite and go off like a fire blast.

Everyone complimented his genius, and even Aika managed to mumble about how he wasn't a complete idiot all the time. The group placing the bags in the dragon's mouths, Shyu warned, "The Sages will hear the explosions, so as soon as they go off, you rush in!"

Aang nodded as everyone but the Sage ducked behind a pillar. The Sage lighting the twine on the bags, , they all went off together in a massive blast. Aang rushed into the smoke- and reached locked doors. "They're still locked!"

Everyone looking sullenly at the door, Shyu announced, "It didn't work."

Aika immediately wanted to leave. They had risked a lot coming, and maybe if they turned back now, she could still drop down on the blockade and take out Zhao. She needed to defeat him! It was her purpose in life!

Aang began to yell at the door for not opening while slicing at it with wind, Katara protesting, "Aang, stop! There's nothing else we can do!"

Sokka, touching the burn marks, wondered, "I don't get it. That blast looked as powerful as any Firebending I've ever seen."

Katara suddenly brightened. "Sokka, you're a genius!"

Aang frowned. "How is Sokka a genius, his plan didn't even work."

Sokka smirked. "Come on, Aang. Let her grieve."

Katara explained, "Yeah, it didn't work. But it looks like it did."

Aika suddenly grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about." She was almost annoyed she hadn't thought of it herself.

Aang asked, "Did the definition of genius change in the last hundred years?"

Aika said, "No, it means the same. But the Sages will see the burn marks and think we made it inside! Then, they'll open it _for us!"_

Aang grinned. "That _is_ genius!"

Aika turned to Shyu. "How good of an actor are you?"

* * *

The group scattered across the pillared hall, hiding in the coils of the fake dragons on the pillars, Shyu cried for the other Sages. Aika, having climbed about twenty feet up a pillar and hiding along the spine of a reptilian leviathan, she held the last casing of Sokka's fake Firebending bombs. If need be, she planned to throw it down among the Sages for Shyu to light.

The other four Sages arriving, Shyu announced, "The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!"

The eldest Sage asked, "How did he get in?"

Shyu innocently said, "I don't know, but look at the scorch marks, and there!" He pointed at the shadows moving under the door, making Aika smirk. _Thanks for the assist, Momo._

The eldest Sage growled, "He's inside, open the doors immediately! Before he contacts Avatar Roku!"

The five in a line, they sent out a second-long stream of fire, the dragon's heads swinging inward as the door cracked open. Aika couldn't see Aang, but she knew he was ready to run, straight through the door while the Sages were still waiting.

As the doors swung completely open, all that seemed to inhabit the room was Momo, grooming the fur behind his ears.

"It's the Avatar's lemur! He must've crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!" As he said this, said lemur leapt at his face, clinging to him like a furry mask. Aika flung the lamp oil bag down, Shyu quickly lighting it as it fell, the resulting explosion knocking the Sages away and off their feet, dazed and confused.

Katara and Sokka pinning down a Sage each, I dropped down the pillar bit by bit to put a knee in an old man's back. "Sorry, you're stuck with us."

Shyu grabbing the elder, he yelled, "Now, Aang!"

Yet... the Avatar didn't emerge.

Katara called, "Aang, now's you're chance!"

Aang came out from behind the pillar, arms pinned behind his back by... Prince Zuko.

Aika had never seen his face before, but he was just as you'd expect from royalty. Hair in a Fire Nation ponytail at the back of his head, Fire Nation uniform black and red as usual, the burn that took over a quarter of his face. He forcefully announced, "The Avatar is coming with me! Close the doors, quickly!"

The Sages attempted to overthrow their captors, managing to twist around on Katara and Sokka, yet Aika slammed the ball of her foot down in the small of the Sage's back, running straight for Zuko. She growled, "Sorry, not today, Princey!" Barehanded and without a plan, she feinted a dive as she weaved to the side, attempting to punch at the side of his throat. But the Prince saw it coming, sparing one hand to deflect her fist off his armored forearm.

The opening was all Aang needed, using an air whip to knock Zuko (and accidentally Aika) off their feet, running for the temple. Katara and Sokka chained to a pillar, Aika currently pushing to her feet, Aang fought his conscience as he ran through the closing sanctuary doors.

Leaping over the Sages, he made it in just as the doors closed, locking. Blue light flooded the room, as Aika looked between Zuko, the Sages, and the Water Tribe siblings. Making her choice, she took off down a side hall, braid waving out behind her as she left them behind.

Sokka glared after her, growling, "I should've known she'd ditch us!"

Katara reasoned worriedly, "Maybe she's waiting for a better chance to help us?"

"Not likely," one of the Sages scowled. "Mutts are as dishonest as creatures come."

Zuko, finally back on his feet, yelled, "This isn't time for a philosophy lesson! We have to open the doors!"

Zuko filling in for Shyu, he and the Sages attempted to open the door, but nothing happened. The Prince demanded, "Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!"

The eldest Sage hissed, "It must've been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside." He looked angrily at the other Sages. "One of you go after that damn mutt, already!"

A Sage hurriedly rushed off down the corridor she'd disappeared in, yet seconds later staggered out the doorway, falling flat and mumbling incoherently. Aika emerging again, holding his sash, she grinned as she wrapped it between her hands. "So, which one of you would like to fight me next?"

Another Sage rushed forward as the eldest Sage yelled, "Mutts will not be permitted in the temple!"

As a blast of fire bit through the air at Aika, she pivoted on one foot out of the flames' reach, running alongside the fire until she reached the Sage. As he put his fist forward to broil her from point blank, she flicked the sash out, wrapping it around his wrist and pulling his arm down and his fire pointlessly scorching the floor. Slamming her knee into his face, she let him crumple, pulling her sash loose from his arm, quickly walking toward the rest with the sam egrin.

Katara smiled and yelled, "Go, Aika!"

Sokka added, "I'm sorry I thought you were a worthless traitor!"

Aika shot him a quick glare as she advanced. "Shut up and sit tight. This'll only take a moment."

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

Turning to the side, Aika could see that the man who had spoken was none other that Zhao, a flock of soldiers in a V formation behind him.

Aika's mind turned off, a reason and forethought gone. Pupils dilated and zeroed in on Zhao, she angrily screamed a war cry as she ran straight for him. The sash falling from her hands, she raced into battle with only a single thought: kill.

Halfway to Zhao, both his soldiers and the Sages threw fire at her, Zuko beginning to back away. Aika rolling under the fire, the sleeve of her Earth Kingdom shirt caught ablaze, yet she didn't seem to notice, still in a straight shot for Zhao.

The rage she felt was beyond her own life. She knew everything in her life, and her mother's, had brought her here.

Katara stared and cried, "She's gone crazy!"

Sokka cringed. "She's gonna die!"

Her right arm stretching forward as she came in low, Zhao gestured to his men to hold. His left arm reaching out, he caught her fist easily, a cruel glint in his eye.

Aika held her breath. The way they stood... it was painfully close to the last time they'd met.

 _Lightning flashing, excruciating pain in her right arm, the feeling of being burned from the inside._

Aika's own horror held her in place for a single moment, long enough for Zhao to fling her against the nearby column. Flicking his hand forward, two of his Firebenders moved forward, each holding one of her arms, keeping her in a kneeling position as Zhao approached.

Standing over her, his eyes fell on the notch in her ear and the bandages around her right arm. Smirking, he mused, "So, the mutt still lives."

Aika's eyes, filled with a hatred she couldn't describe, thrashed, trying to get loose. "It's too bad you'll be dead soon!"

Zhao chuckled. "Not quite, impure. I'll be a god soon enough, though you won't live to see that day."

Aika hissed, "You might be surprised."

Zhao turned to the rest of his guards. "Go to the door, wait for the Avatar to emerge. When he does... unleash all your firepower." The Firebenders quickly gathering another chain, Aika was pinned against the pillar, still glaring at Zhao. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to destroy the Avatar. I'll deal with you when I'm done, mutt."

Zhao joined the line of Firebenders at the door, Aika still fighting the chains, wrapping her left hand around a chain and trying to pull it loose, not finding herself that lucky, only tearing a chunk of her shirt's back out, the fabric sticking to the pillar.

The gate swung open, the same bright blue light flooding out. Glowing blue-white eyes towered in the darkness.

Zhao yelled, "Fire!"

And just as ordered, flames poured from every fist, pouring into the gate- and immediately spinning into a sphere until it dispersed. In its center, a tall figure (Avatar Roku, someone yelled), stood almost as tall as the doors.

Waves of fire sweeping through the room, blasting the Firebenders back and melting the chains to nothing. The Sages running and Firebenders fleeing, Shyu warned, "Roku is going to destroy the temple! We must go!"

Katara protested, "Not without Aang!"

On the other side of the room, Aika stood free again, rushing after Zhao as he fled the Avatar's angry spirit. "Stand and fight, coward!" Yet as her fingers brushed the back of his armor, Roku's fissures of lava began to shatter the floor, creating a chasm between the two, Aika barely managing to back away before she could fall in.

The two glared at one another across the widening canyon for a moment before Zhao called, "We'll finish this another day, if you don't die, mutt!" And he dove down a staircase.

Aika screamed angrily across the cavern until her throat was sore and she ran out of insults for the commander. By the time she turned, Aang stood where Roku had, Katara and Sokka at his side. The girl yelled, "Aika, we need to go!"

Aika wanted to scream more. She wanted to tell them she couldn't leave until she saw Zhao lying dead on the ground. But she knew yelling wouldn't bring her vengeance. "R-Right."

Joining them, they rushed to the stairs, finding them flooded with lava. Instead turning to a hole in the wall, they looked out from the top of the crumbling temple, the ground was at least hundreds of feet below.

Aika stared at the crescent of the island and the expanse of water around them, there didn't seem to be any way down that didn't involve lava or flight.

"Appa!"

Speaking of flight- the sky bison, lead by the lemur who had managed to steal a Sage's biretta, flew to them, the group quickly jumping on the bison.

As they left the island behind, Aika letting out a sigh. "I swear, the next time we land, I will steal you a barns-worth of hay, buffalo."

Katara looked to Aika worriedly, asking, "Are you okay? I mean, it was kind of intense back there."

Aika nodded. "I'm fine. I just..." She lost her words. She'd failed, for the second time, and last time, she'd had an advantage. "I need to fix a mistake."

Sokka softly noted, "You really hate this guy, don't you?"

Aika looked down, pulling her knees to her chest. "He burned my home. I'm not going to let it happen again."

The ride turned quiet, the water passing by quickly underneath them.

* * *

In the ruins of Roku's temple, one room at the top, while now on its side, was still mostly intact. The sanctuary doors broken, most of the chains had disintegrated, yet one set of chains still hung halfway around the pillar, out of the fire's reach. A scrap of green cloth still hanging from the decorative dragon's scales, the chains still hung broken.

A patch of chain links were melted, about as wide as a hand.

 **Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Waterbending Scroll

**EEEEE! The love this story is getting drives me absolutely batty with excitement! I don't have words for how awesome it is to have 21 followers by the third chapter. THE. THIRD. CHAPTER. That's simply crazy! Thank you to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed, and know that I LOVE YOU!  
**

 **As to this chapter, I'm probably overly proud of myself. I took off with the idea that Aika had adventured a bit, and suddenly I had this fun little piece of 8,000 words! This should definitely tide you all over for another week or two!**

 **KnightOwl: As awesome as ever, you're always so encouraging! I love hearing your feedback, as you hit the same points that I try to hammer home! And yes, the muses of creativity did bless me this day, and I wrote the majority of this chapter in a four hour window! Thanks again!**

 **Znkp: Thank you, and yes, I will write more, more, more, mooooooooooore.**

 **Phoenix: AND AWESOMENESS TO YOU, MY GOOD HOTMAN!**

 **Cheshire Cat: Well, no need to worry yet, as my inspiration for Aika's tale is currently flooding like the Nile. Thank you!**

Chapter 3: The Waterbending Scroll and the Little Snake

It was the day after their visit to the Crescent Island, everyone still nursing their wounds. Aika had gathered a decent collection of burns, though nothing serious. Katara and Sokka had gotten a few cuts from the chains- and though Aang had made it out unscathed, he was the most pained of all.

Sokka currently driving the bison, Aang paced back and forth across the saddle, Aika playing with her bandages and the Fire Sage sash tied around her wrist as a memento, tying and untying them over and over again, never letting the lightning-like scars that reached to her elbow show. Katara and Sokka had avoided mentioning what had happened during her fight with Zhao. They knew she wouldn't react well, and she needed a bit of time before they could approach the subject.

As the Avatar paced, Sokka ordered, "Would you sit down?! If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off. What's bugging you anyway?"

Aang explained nervously, "It's what Avatar Roku said! I'm supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives."

Sokka listed off, "Well, let's see... You've pretty much mastered Airbending, and that only took you one hundred and twelve years, so I'm sure you can master the other elements by next summer."

Aang's face bent in panic as he cried, "I haven't even started Waterbending, and we're still weeks away from the North Pole! What am I gonna do?!"

Aika, sighing deeply, sat up straight in the saddle, trying not to look at the rushing water below them. "Look, if I have to be the voice of reason, here: you're the Avatar, Aang. You're capable of learning multiple elements, Ozai isn't. Even if you only learn two elements, you'll have an advantage, especially if it's water. Air and water both have a natural advantage to fire, so you only have to overcome his years of experience, royal training, and Agni Kai victories." She ticked off each reason on a finger.

Aang's panic skyrocketed as he stressed, "I'm so doomed!" He hesitated suddenly. "Wait, what's an Agni Kai?"

Aika quickly explained, "A duel between Firebenders. It's a competition of skill, which doesn't end until somebody submits or dies."

Aang's eyes widened. "H-How many times has he won?"

Aika admitted, "To my knowledge, he's never lost."

Aang resumed his pacing, pulling at his head as if trying to pull out non-existent hair. "What am I going to do?!"

Katara, in her truly motherly fashion, reached out and gently grabbed his hand, pulling him down to his knees next to her. "Calm down! It's gonna be okay. If you want, I can try and teach you some of the stuff I know."

Aang grinned. "You'd do that?"

Katara nodded, crawling to the edge of the saddle, looking down at the world passing below them, Aang following. "We'll need to find a good source of water."

Sokka smirked. "Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in."

Aika rolled her eyes, dryly commenting, "I think they might need something bigger than a puddle, Ponytail."

* * *

An hour later, the group was standing at the base of a waterfall, the cascade falling to a slow moving stream, each side of the river lined with thick trees.

Sokka looked up with wide eyes, complimenting, "Nice puddle."

Aika, staying a noticeable distance away from the water, agreed, "You won't run out, that's for sure."

As Appa moaned loudly, he flopped down into the lake, his saddle having been left on the shores. Water splashing everywhere, Aika couldn't stop a small squeak from slipping out her throat, the half-blood quickly moving out of the water's path.

Katara blinked, an eyebrow raised. "Aika... Are you afraid of water?"

Aika's cheeks lit as if on fire, the girl vehemently denied, "No! I simply don't _like_ water!"

Sokka ignored her and laughed, one hand clutching his side while the other pointed at her. "HA! You're scared of water! I can't believe it, we've been flying over the ocean for so long, but you- ow!"

Aika had stormed over, quickly kicking one of his legs out from under him, Sokka falling on his back. Aika glared down at him, arms crossed. "I'm not scared of water! I didn't want to get wet! So if you don't want me to dunk you underwater, you can shut it!"

Sokka raised his hands in submission, closing his eyes and attempting to keep his smirk hidden under a facade of calm. "Okay, okay..." As Aika turned her back to him, Sokka's smirk emerged as he reached to the swaying river beside him, flicking a bit of water at her. "Oh no, _water!"_

Aika rolled her eyes at the droplets of water splattering against her shirt, giving an annoyed growl, "Do that again, and I'll hold you under the waterfall! Now, you guys can splash Sokka, if you would, while I get some firewood for tonight." With that, she disappeared into the woods.

Aang looked after her for a moment, wondering aloud, "Why do you think she doesn't like water?" Receiving a shrug from Sokka as he stood and no answer from Katara, Aang suddenly grinned at his bison as he pulled off his robes. "Wait for me, boy!"

* * *

By the time Aika returned with a cluster of wood tucked under each arm, she found that Aang had been a natural at learning Waterbending, however tactless he'd been while washing their supplies down the river. Aika had tossed the wood off to the side, sighing while shaking her head. "Come on, there's a town nearby I saw while getting wood. They're bound to have something we can buy." With a dirty look at Aang, she questioned, "Unless _someone_ also sent our money afloat?"

Aang shook his head. "Nope! I have it here!" Holding up a handful of coins proudly, it was enough to sate Aika's frustration.

Aika leading the way, the four of them found their way into town, Aika carefully pulling her dark tresses over her notched ear first. Walking through the port city, it was obvious they were very diverse. Earth Kingdom greens made up the majority of the crowds, but you could see a few men in red and even a splash of Water Tribe blue every once and awhile. Yet Aika couldn't tear her eyes away from the handful of notched ears scattered throughout the city, most of them in green and standing alone. Choosing to close her eyes instead of look at them, she could only remind herself over and over: _mutts are meant to be alone._

At least, that's what she'd always been told, what she'd believed for most of her life.

After stopping in a few shops, Sokka's bag was filled with food, though not much else. Emerging from a store, he cautioned, "We've only got three copper pieces left from the money King Bumi gave us, so we'd better spend it wisely."

Aang sheepishly amended, "Uh... Make that two copper pieces. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Pulling out a white whistle fashioned in the shape of a bison, Aang blew the woodwind... an almost inaudible tone emerging, making Sokka and Aika's attempt to cover their ears pointless.

Sokka chided, "It doesn't even work!" As the lemur on Aang's shoulder gave him a side-long look, Sokka added, "See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

Aika cut in, "Calm down, if we get short on coins, I can figure something out." She didn't enjoy stealing from merchants, finding that they usually noticed the difference in money more than the tax treasuries of the Fire Nation did, but she'd pinch their pockets if need be.

Katara shook her head. "No, we won't resort to stealing. No offense, Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Aang reluctantly handing over their remaining coins, they wandered their way through the rest of the town.

Aika was contemplating if she should simply snatch the supplies they needed and get out quickly when a peddler's call broke her focus: "Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your _inclination,_ you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!"

The call was heard from a piratical man, short and slim with a frog-button shirt and loose pants, yellow and green suggesting Earth Kingdom origins. A green headband holding his long hair from his face and golden hoops dangling from his ears, he greeted everyone who looked at him with a wide grin and small mustache and a gleaming eye.

Catching the eye of the group, he rushed up to intercept them from walking by the red-sailed ship he stood in front of at the docks. "Oh, you there! I can see from your clothing that you're world traveling-types! Maybe I can show you some exotic curios?"

The Water Tribe siblings continued on, however, Aang turned back, Aika simply freezing. Aang inquired, "Sure! What are curios?"

The man hesitated, blankly responding, "I'm not entirely sure... but we've got 'em!"

Aika, green eyes wide, looked at the man with a smirk growing on her face. "Oh? Is that you?"

The man, Oh apparently, brightened. "Aika! It's been so long!" The two shared a grin, clasping hands like old friends.

Sokka's jaw dropped, exclaiming, "You know this guy?!"

Aika laughed. "Yeah! I stowed away on their ship once in Makapu! When Oh found me stashed away in a crate, he just laughed and introduced me to the crew. Captain Gara was livid until I showed him I could help with business."

Oh chuckled, "Swindle anyone lately, little snake?"

Aika smiled at the nickname- it had been a long time since she'd heard that. "Eh, just the Fire Nation, same old, same old."

Oh laughed as if she'd told an outrageous joke, tugging at her sleeve. "Come on, Gara will be glad to see you!"

Aika happily following, she looked to the flabbergasted others with a smile they'd never seen before- not condescending, not mocking. Just... happy. "You should come! Gara has an amazing collection from across all the nations! Otherwise, I'll meet you back at camp."

Oh towing her up the ramp and into the ship. Statues, clothing, crates of exotic food, and assorted items from across the world caught their eye, yet Aika looked past it all without hesitation. While Katara stared warily at a ruby-eyed statue of a grinning stone monkey, Oh yelled, "Captain! Look who's come to see us!"

From a doorway, a tall man with graying hair wore mainly red robes, lined with white, his hat colored in the same manner, the brim of his hat not quite covering the notch in his right ear. A iguana-parrot crouched on his shoulder, he looked around curiously until he saw Aika with Oh. A wide grin taking over his face, he greeted, "Well, if it isn't the little snake herself!"

Aika scoffed. "And the old codger who keeps turning grayer!"

The two stepping toward one another, the captain wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug, the iguana-parrot on his shoulder squawking in protest to the invasion of his room.

Letting the girl go, he greeted, "You're looking well, little snake. What're you doin' here? Looking for work, I hope."

Aika shook her head. "Sorry, Gara. I'm still on the hunt. But now..." She smiled, almost hopefully. "I have real way of finding him."

Gara patted her shoulder. "Well, when your hunt is over, we'll still have an empty bunk for ya, snake. Till then, look around-" He pointed a finger in her face, a warning in his eyes. "But don't take anything."

Aika gave him an annoyed glance. "Come on, Gara. If I was going to take something, I'd get it from a better trader than you."

The air turned tense for a moment, Oh staring and the Gaang shocked at the way Aika spoke to this imposing man- as Gara began to laugh. "Ha! Good luck finding one, snake!" Everyone let out the breath they'd held as Gara turned his attention to the other newcomers. Seeing Aang's lemur, he complimented, "I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering."

The iguana-parrot on his shoulder squawking angrily at the lemur, Aika stroked its yellow-feathered head. "Shush up, Lulan. No need to fuss, Momo's just a lemur, not a platypus bear."

Aang still pat his lemur's head protectively as the lemur quaked before the larger bird, answering, "Momo's not for sale."

Gara shrugged. "Very well, boy." Looking to Aika, he paid little attention to Katara as she wondered at the drawings on a Water Tribe scroll, Aang and Sokka moving to look over her shoulder at it. "So, little snake, where'd you find these strangers?"

Aika shrugged, electing not to tell the full truth. She had been friends with Gara, but he was a pirate. He wouldn't hesitate to tell another her tale, leading them into trouble. "Not much to tell except they know how to find Zhao. The man's been after the Avatar, and is convinced that the bald one over there is him." Aika smirked, proud of the lie, turning to the completely ignorant Aang. "I mean, come on. The kid looks nothing like an Airbender, besides the wannabe robes he wears. Still, Zhao tails him, so I've tagged along."

Gara chuckled, buying into the lie immediately. The power of suggestion taking over, he compared Aang to the wanted posters of the Fire Nation, quickly dismissing the likeness, focusing on Aika's motivation against Zhao. "That's our little snake."

Aang suddenly piped up, "Where did you get a Waterbending scroll?"

Gara, eyes widening at their finding of his prize, quickly walked over, pulling it away. Rolling it carefully, he replied, "Let's just say I got it up North at a reasonable price: free."

As he replaced the scroll, Sokka put a hand to his chin. "Wait a minute, sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise, and pet reptile birds." Whirling on Oh, he exclaimed, "You guys are pirates!" Looking to Aika, he demanded, "You're friends with a bunch of pirates?!"

Oh put an arm over Sokka's shoulders, winking. "We prefer to think of ourselves as 'high-risk traders.'"

Aika smirked. "Huh, and here I thought you liked 'privateers.' Didn't you say it made you sound 'professional,' Oh?"

The pirate chuckled at her joke as Katara examined the coins in her hand, then glared half-heartedly at Gara. She didn't want to be unfriendly to Aika's friend, but she didn't like the idea of someone who robbed her culture's sister. "So how much for the... _traded_ scroll?"

Gara answered, "I've already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless, you kids happen to have two hundred gold on ya right now. If ya know Little Snake, it wouldn't surprise me."

Aika scoffed. "You make it sound like I have a thieving problem. But no, we don't."

Aang grinned. "But we'll haggle for it!" Taking on a ridiculous accent, he took the coins from Katara and flicked one in front of Gara. "What say ye to the price of... one copper piece?"

Gara burst out laughing, Aika and Oh stifling giggles. Gara overcoming his laughter, he shook his head. "I don't haggle on items this rare. Two hundred gold, or nothin'."

"Okay then... What say ye to the price of... _two_ copper pieces?"

At the Gara no longer enjoyed the joke. "It's not as amusing the second time, boy."

Aika, sensing Gara wasn't going to be gentle if they kept annoying him, stepped in. "Baldy, he isn't dropping the price. But..." Giving the captain a slightly pleading look, she continued, "If we could borrow the scroll for a day? You'd have my word it would be returned in perfect condition, and first thing in the morning."

Gara narrowed his eyes at Aika. "And you expect me to trust ya with somethin' this valuable, little snake?"

Aika smiled as if she'd just closed the deal. "Of course. I have no one to sell it to, so it's basically worthless in my hands. Besides, when my journey's over, I'll need a job. I doubt you'd take me on if I lost it."

Gara loomed over her, grey eyes piercing her gold-flecked green. "... If you're not back by first light tomorrow with the scroll, I'll have every one of my men tearing through the town for ya."

Aika assured, "No need. As a show of good faith, our camp is at the base of a waterfall North of town. I swear to you, Gara. Just this one favor for the months of help I gave you?"

The old pirate scoffing, he shook his head. "I must be gettin' soft with my old age."

"Maybe, but it suits you." Walking to the scroll cupboard, she made a show of carefully pulling it out, she took the Fire Sage sash and gently wrapped the scroll. "First light, Gara. And thank you."

The pirate waving them off, he growled, "You'd better be! Now off with ya, if you're not gonna buy anything!"

Aika leading a stunned Gaang off the pirate's boat, Katara immediately stopped her off of the boat. In a flurry of awe and excitement, she asked, "How did you do that? I mean, how did you get a pirate to like you that much? And why do they call you 'little snake?' And you're friends with pirates?!"

Aika put up her free hand to gesture Katara should slow down as she continued walking. "Slow it down, water girl. First off, Gara trusts me because he knows despite the fact that I made most of my living from thieving, I know when I've got an ally. I wouldn't betray Gara, and he knows it. He took so long to sway because he doesn't know _you_ guys. As to my nickname, its from my days 'trading' with them. After they found me stowed away, Gara insisted I make myself useful. So, the next time we put in to shore, I slipped into a few shops and in the morning, I gave Gara nearly fifty gold coins. A month of sneaking around, and Oh made a comment about how I was like a snake in the grass. From there, the name stuck."

Aang smiled. "Well, at least you're not a thief anymore." Not seeing Aika's attempt to hold back a scoff, he continued, "I'm just excited to the have the scroll for the night!"

Katara insisted, "I have to copy down what I can between practicing."

Sokka shook his head. "You guys have fun with your magic water."

Katara rolled her eyes, playfully punching her brother's arm. "It's not magic, Sokka! But I'm really grateful, Aika." She stopped the half-blood long enough to hug her, Aika blinking forward as she froze, seeming a bit confused. Gara's hugs were the only she'd ever received, and they were a show of strength in themselves. This... This felt more gentle, kind, and plain confusing to the half-blood. "Thank you."

As Katara released her, Aika took a moment to rearrange her brain. "... Well? We're wasting daylight. You can't practice with the scroll all night, and you'll need sun to copy the the scroll." Handing Katara the scroll, she took the copper pieces from Aang. "I'll buy some parchment while you two get a headstart on your practicing, alright?"

Katara nodded eagerly, pulling Aang along toward the edge of town as Aika turned back toward the huts. _That was... I don't know. How do I even begin to describe what these people are like? They act like I'm family, but it hasn't even been two weeks we've known each other._ Shaking her head, she chided herself, "Stop getting attached! Attachments only pull you down." Yet she couldn't get the tingling feeling from Katara's motherly hug to go away.

* * *

Gara watched Aika as she left, wary of the young girl. She wouldn't dare betray him, and he knew well that she wasn't the traitorous type in any regard. Still, with such a rare item at risk, it was hard to remember their ties. Despite her being a stowaway on his ship, he'd offered her a chance to work to earn her right to remain, an offer she happily accepted. For one so young, she'd been eager to help, though he'd always noticed how sensitive her right arm had been. Even now, she kept it carefully bandaged- Gara would've done the same, if he'd been hurt the way she'd been.

Turning to Oh, he ordered, "Follow them, make sure Aika was telling the truth of where they're camping tonight."

Oh nodded, rushing out the door, long knives still sheathed and cleverly hidden.

It wasn't an hour before he was back, returning just as a pair of Fire Nation-garbed men entered the ship. Gara eyeing them as they browsed, Oh reported, "The little snake was right, they're camping at the bottom of the waterfall. The bald boy and the Water Tribe girl were splashing around, though I didn't see Aika. Not surprising, knowing how she feels about water."

One of the Fire Nation men perking at these words, Gara turned his full focus to his lieutenant, asking, "And the scroll?"

"Still appeared to be in mint condition."

"Good. Then we have nothing to fear." Turning back to his customers, he was surprised to find that one had disappeared, the other at the counter holding the ruby-eyed monkey statue. The elderly man asked, "Excuse me, sir, but how much would this lovely piece be?"

Gara, nodding to Oh to look about and make sure the second man wasn't rummaging where he shouldn't, answered, "One hundred gold."

Oh shaking his head at finding nothing, the remaining man grinned. "A wonderful bargain!"

Still, Gara looked carefully out the doorway, wondering where the boy had been off to- and what had triggered his quick exit.

* * *

Aika had returned soon after the others, Sokka helping her to quickly make a rough copy of the scroll and leave Katara and Aang to practice with it, putting the original away so to preserve it. Aika was eager to find a job far away from the water's edge, smiling when she saw Oh attempting to spy on them, yet never acknowledging his presence.

Having found herself of better use unrolling the various sleeping bags and getting the fire started, she could only hear snippets of an argument obviously between the two Waterbenders. Katara jealous of Aang's natural skill, it seemed, but the girl quickly apologized and gave him the scroll's copy to use.

Dinner was a quiet affair, no one really speaking until Aang turned to Aika. "I was wondering before... If you made such good friends with the pirates, why'd you leave?"

Aika's face fell slightly as she let the wisps of hair loose from her braid shadow her face. "To chase Zhao, obviously. It's my life's mission."

"But why? I know he hurt you, but it seems like you really liked being a pirate." Aang didn't like the idea of thieving or stealing, but the way Aika seemed to do it... she'd take in moderation, never leaving a single person broke. If there had to be thieves in the world, Aika was the best kind. "So why leave for vengeance?"

Aika lowered her head, the shadows of the fire darkening her face, leaving it unreadable. "I appreciate your attempt to share your infinite wisdom, oh Avatar, but I'm fine with my own wisdom. I figure out my own path."

From there, the meal was quiet again.

Katara and Sokka soon curled up in their furry sleeping rolls, Aang flattening out a patch of Appa's shed fur to sleep on, Aika simply pulling a food pouch under her head and closing her eyes. Night fell, yet as the fire flickered out, Katara slipped from her bed, taking the original scroll from the bag beside her. As she slipped away to the water's edge, Aika's eyes fluttered open to the sound of her footsteps, prompting her to sit up, watching the girl leave.

Following, she observed Katara's frustration and failed attempts at the Water Whip for a few minutes before commenting, "You know, I've heard that Waterbending is stronger at night, but don't you need sleep?"

Katara whirled, braid flicking her in the face, squeaked, "Aika! I-I was just-"

"Using the scroll without anyone else's knowledge, hoping the bridge the gap between your skills and Aang's?"

Katara, shock fading to slight confusion, nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah..."

Aika sighed, stepping forward to put a hand on Katara's shoulder. "Frustration won't help you grow, water girl. Stop comparing yourself to Aang- he's lived hundreds of times before and mastered Waterbending in every lifetime. If you need comparison, think back to how you were a month ago, of how you've grown. _That's_ when you know what you've accomplished." Katara slowly nodded, Aika's words sinking in. "Now, I'm going back to sleep, and I suggest you do the same. Still, if you feel this is necessary, go for it. Just don't lose the scroll. Gara would kill me."

Katara smiled a bit. "Thanks, Aika. I-I think I understand."

"Good. Then-" Suddenly, she froze in place. Putting a finger to her lips, signalling Katara to be silent, she crept to the edge of the bushes, pushing them aside to see a Fire Nation cruiser attempting to silently pull to shore. Eyes widening, she quickly said, "We have to go-"

A quick flash of flame in front of her set the bushes aflame, though she pulled back quickly enough to only be singed by the flames. Turning, she found that five Firebenders had already cornered them, a few non-bending soldiers behind them, spears bristling. Katara by her side, the bushes on fire and the Firebenders with arms raised, they had no where to go.

Aika was split between yelling to wake up the others, knowing that would give away how close they were, or fighting- a brilliant strategy bound to get her burnt to a crisp.

Instead, she whispered to Katara, "Don't fight. I have a plan."

Katara hissed, "Like what?!"

"Just watch." Raising her hands in surrender, Aika mockingly smiled. "Well, we give up." As the soldiers hesitated, glancing among themselves, she again said, "Yep, we give up! We know we can't beat you, so just throw some rope this way."

Two non-bender soldiers cautiously made their way forward with coils of rope in their hands, and just as Aika said, she didn't fight back, allowing them to tightly knot her hands behind her back. Katara, cautiously looking at Aika while wondering if she'd lost her mind, followed her lead, albeit worriedly.

Katara tied to a tree, Aika's rope was looped around a nearby pine as the leader of the expedition stepped off the boat. Aika quickly recognized him as Zuko from the infamous scar taking up a fourth of his face, scorched across one eye and to his ear. Just looking at him made her arm ache with memory, Aika fighting the small sense of pity in her stomach.

Pushing emotion aside, Aika put on a laughing smirk. "Ah, if it isn't the prince. I'm sorry you're a bit too late, but we already sent Aang on his merry way."

Zuko turned to Aika, quickly absorbing everything he could from her in a glance- her bandaged arm suggesting an injury, her notched ear, and her complete lack of weaponry or supplies. "No, he wouldn't have gone far without you two. The Avatar isn't one to abandon his companions." Saying this, he took the Waterbending scroll, tucking it into his belt.

"Eh, you'd be surprised."

Zuko, ignoring Aika, immediately approached Katara, demanding, "Tell me where he is, and I won't harm you or your brother."

Katara growled, "Go jump in the river!"

Aika smirked. "You've got a hell of a way with women, Princey." Behind her back, Aika's fingers groped for the knot at her wrists, finding the ends and attempting to work backward.

Zuko, still trying to tune out the half-blood to his side, took a deep breath, preparing for the diplomatic approach. "Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I've lost: my honor. Perhaps I can return something of value in return?" He drew a black band with a blue gem, carved with a Water Tribe seal, holding it to her neck.

Katara's eyes widened with longing, her hands flexing behind her as if to rip free and grab it before Zuko yanked it away. "My mother's necklace! How did you get that?"

Zuko shrugged. "I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering. Only found it. So?"

Katara looked hungrily at the necklace one last time before spitting her words at Zuko viciously: "Never, I won't betray Aang!"

Aika, wrists sore from the rough ropes but nearly halfway done pulling them loose, spoke up, "Katara's not the kind to give up a friend, but..." The golden flecks in her eyes gleamed. "I might be willing."

Katara's eyes widened. "Aika!"

Zuko smiled darkly, approaching Aika. "So? What do you want in return?"

Aika shrugged the best she could in her restraints. "Nothing much- just a chance to kill Commander Zhao."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "You'd ask me to assist your assassination of a higher officer?"

"Well, he's been hindering your search, hasn't he? I can easily fix that."

Zuko locked eyes with Aika a moment longer before nodding. He didn't have to hold his end entirely- she asked for a chance, not a guarantee. "Fine. Now, where is the Avatar?"

Aika laughed. "Right at the waterfall to the East where we left him and Sokka, sleeping. They never left."

Katara demanded angrily, "Aika, what are you doing?!"

"Hey, you know I'm in this for me. Think of it this way: you can still find your way to a Waterbending master."

"You- You- _Ugh!"_

Zuko wanted to curse- he should've known, but no matter. "Men, find the waterfall, capture the Avatar!" He would soon have the Avatar! He could return home...

Suddenly, Iroh stepping down off of the ramp, sighing sadly. "I've looked again, Prince Zuko, but I can't find my lotus- Aika!" Iroh smiled happily at seeing the girl at the tree. "I'm glad to see you're alright! I wasn't sure after Prince Zuko told me about the temple!"

Aika smiled gloatingly at Zuko, she chuckled, waving at the general with her now freed hand. Zuko gawking at her sudden freedom for a moment, Aika greeted, "It's nice to see you fully clothed, General."

Iroh made his way across the beach, patting her shoulder. "What have I said, Aika? I'm simply Iroh, dear."

Katara and Zuko seemed to be stuck in a state of shock, unable to look away from this strange exchange.

Aika leaned against the tree, rubbing her wrists. "Right, right, it's a bit hard to remember that. I'm used to using your title."

Katara demanded, "You know him, too? What, did you meet the Fire Nation general before or after you were a pirate?!"

Aika frowned, tapping her chin with her index finger. "Definitely before, though I saw him again... what, a week ago?"

Katara's jaw fell, eyes wide and aghast, Iroh chuckling. "I'll thank you again for the assistance. My nephew was running a little late to the rescue."

Zuko fought the embarrassment that rose in his cheeks as a rosy color, instead shifting his weight foot to foot. "Stop _chatting_ with the enemy, Uncle!"

Aika chided, "I'm not your enemy right now, Zuko. I might be in a few weeks again, but who knows? I'm a... go with the flow kind of person." The look on Zuko's face made it clear he wanted to tie her up again, this time gagged, but it was obvious Iroh wouldn't allow it. Besides, she'd just get loose again somehow. Zuko growled to his guards, "Keep an eye on her," before following his guards into the woods.

Iroh looked between his nephew and Aika, understanding what had occurred while he'd been gone. Giving Aika a condescending look, he observed, "It seems you're having trouble making and keeping friends, Aika."

Aika shrugged, her expression aloof. "I don't need friends when I can finish my journey. I've come too far to give up now."

Iroh frowned. "And your journey is in vengeance, I assume?"

Aika ducked her head, face shadowed, though her eyes were still set on the water. "Zhao ruined my life, Iroh. He's not going to get away with what he's done to me."

Katara demanded, "So you gave up Aang so you could kill some Fire Nation man? Is your revenge worth the world?!"

Aika growled, "I've told you, that isn't my problem! Zhao's my problem, the world is yours!" Aika didn't even notice when her own hand crawled up to her ear, fingering the notch that had decided so much of her life. "So you protect the world while I deal with my own demons."

Katara scowled, glaring at her. "Great priorities."

Aika went silent, Iroh watching the exchange in worry, yet didn't speak up. He could see there was something beneath Aika's words- besides, he wouldn't discuss such things with an audience.

The sun was starting to shine through the trees when Zuko returned, his Firebenders having managed to throw ropes around Sokka and hold him hostage until Aang surrendered. The two being pulled through the forest, Aang and Sokka quickly worried at seeing Katara tied up- and confusion rising when they could see Aika loose.

Sokka called, "Aika, get Katara free, quick!" Aika didn't move from where she leaned against the tree. "Uh... Aika?"

Aika softly responded, "I made a choice, and I stand by it."

Aang and Sokka's eyes widened, the Firebenders having to shove them forward to keep moving. "Aika..."

Zuko stormed up to Aika, scowling. "You said the waterfall was to the East! It was South!"

Aika smirked. "I knew you'd find him eventually- I just took a little enjoyment from your being lost."

Zuko glared angrily at her as he ordered his men, "On the ship! We go to the Fire Nation! Leave, the Water Tribe and the half-blood!"

Aika scoffed. "I really hoped you wouldn't say that. You're only going to make this harder for all of us." Standing straight, no longer needing the support of the tree, she crossed her arms, eyes on the water. _It won't be long..._

Zuko promised, "Once I'm reinstated, I'll send Zhao somewhere you can find him. But for now, I will return home."

Aika, face previously hidden by her ducked head, grinned eerily as she looked up, Zuko fighting the urge to back up from the unsettling smile. "I'm afraid that never was the plan."

In the distance, a wooden ship with elegant red sails was approaching, the crew yelling and calling rowdily. Zuko's eyes widened in surprise to see the pirate ship from before, Aika chuckled. "I had no desire to fight all of you at once, especially only with a novice Waterbender at my side, but I knew my old friends would be arriving soon."

Zuko's face twisted in anger, his non-bender soldiers raising their spears as he ordered, "Get the Avatar aboard, now!" Raising his hands in a fighting stance, he obviously intended to quickly settle his score with Aika before leaving. _Playing along, stalling us by talking, sending us on a trek through the forest... it was all to waste time. She knew we would've found the Avatar easily anyway and played us!_

Anger flooding his mind, he threw out the worst insult he could think of. "You'll regret this, mutt!"

Aika's eyes turned a violent shade of green. "Sorry, Prince Hothead. I don't have many regrets."

Fire flew from Zuko's fists as he lunged forward, arms reaching out as Aika quickly stepped around the tree, flames biting at her arms. Timing the spurts of flame and when he would have to end one stream of fire to begin anew, she dove outward, diving at his legs, tackling him down at the knees.

Meanwhile, Aang air-blasted the two guards beside him back long enough to run away, racing straight to Sokka, air scootering in a circle around the boy and the Firebender beside him. The dust hiding them, the guard released Sokka in his confused spurts of wild flame, the Water Tribe boy slipping away, crawling toward Katara.

The pirate ship was pulling onto the sand, its crew already diving off. Smoke bombs, swords, and nets everywhere, the Fire Nation soldiers quickly clashed with the group. Spears and fire against steel and wits: it was no competition.

Aika and Zuko were trapped in a tangled mess of limbs, flailing to figure out which appendages were theirs. Aika kicking, she caught Zuko in the chin with her boot while Zuko struggled to grab her legs, pinning her down. _This ridiculous! I'm rolling in the dirt as if it were a real fight!_

Zuko, arms wrapped around Aika's ankles to keep her in place, growled, "You have no training, fighting without any discipline! Why do you think you can beat me?"

Aika, despite her circumstance, grinned. "Because I have my wits!" One hand snaking out and snatching the Waterbending scroll from his belt, her second hand lashing out and yanking on his ponytail. In his surprise, his grip loosened just enough to wriggle loose, though Zuko's knee hit her sternum as she staggered to her feet, knocking the wind out of her. Scrambling away, she locked eyes with Gara, still near his ship.

Tossing him the scroll, she managed a smirk before Zuko was back on his feet behind her. Fire dancing at his hands in the form of daggers, he slashed at her exposed back, searing a hole in her shirt and burning off an inch of her hair, braid falling loose. As she pulled away, she eyed her charred hair before glaring at Zuko. "That was uncalled for."

"So was tricking me!" As he dove forward for another pass with his flame daggers, Aika backed up rapidly, stumbling but keeping her footing. As Zuko swung for her chest, his arc missing, Aika took her opening, suddenly switching gears and pushing forward rapidly, elbow out and driving it full force into his collarbone.

Zuko, gasping at the sudden pressure on his throat, lost focus, his daggers dispersing as he put a hand to the center of his pain. Taking advantage, she swiftly kneed him in the stomach (a bit of revenge) and shoved him back against a tree.

Aika turned to find her pirate friends had fended off the Fire Nation soldiers well, the soldiers in disarray or laying on the beach, Sokka, Aang, and Katara all cut loose by Oh. Aika, running toward them, noticed how Iroh had seemingly disappeared from the fray, though a small wooden tile lay forgotten on the sand where he'd stood, most likely having fallen out of his robes.

Snatching it up, she waved wildly to her friends, calling, "Well? Hurry up!"

The three catching on, they and the pirates retreated to their ship, climbing the ropes or quickly soaring their way up, in Aang's case. As Aika rushed to join them, she flicked the Pai Sho tile at the still stunned Zuko, smirking victoriously. "Don't let your Uncle forget that, and I hope to cross wits with you again soon, Princey!"

The prince stood, glaring furiously, she helped her piratical partners' attempts to push the ship back into the water.

The ship, too grounded in the sand to move, wasn't budging for all their effort. Looking up, Aang and Katara stood on the bow, watching. "Well?! You're Waterbenders! Start bending water!"

The two above shared a quick smile before assuming similar stances, shifting foot to foot as the swung their arms in unison

now hanging from the rope against the side of the ship as they floated outward, the sails catching on the wind and pulling them away.

Pushing aside her fear of the rushing water beneath her the best she could, she began climbing up the rope, at the top finding Gara offering a hand, assisting to pull her over the ship's bow. Once standing on the solid wooden planks, the two shared a devious smile and bursting into laughter, the ship following suit.

Gara patted her shoulder. "I should've known you'd find a way to get into trouble, little snake. Still, you found your way out."

Aika chuckled. "Hey, I wouldn't be much of a snake if I got lost in the grass every time."

Gara chortled in agreement, moving off to the helm as Aang, Sokka, and Katara approached. Katara slowly asked, "Did you plan all of this?"

Aika shrugged. "Not all. I never would've accounted for Zuko giving me a haircut." Pulling her dark hair over her shoulder, she clicked her tongue in disappointment. "And I spent so long growing it out."

Sokka demanded, "So why did you let them catch us? You could've simply, you know, _not told them anything!"_

Aika arched an eyebrow, hands on her hips. "And camping out in the open with a fire still burning, you were going to stay hidden for long?" At Sokka's aversion to looking at her, she continued, "I had to give them something so I could get loose. Besides, I sent them in the wrong direction at first to buy time for my friends here to come. Gara knew I wouldn't go back on our bargain, so he came to see what happened, and intervened. I knew you could at least get free of the guards, even if your hands were tied, so I simply needed to stall."

Katara crossed her arms, stubbornly adding, "You're a good actor then, but why not just fight? You've taken out more guys than that at once! At the prison, when we freed the Earthbenders."

Aika sighed. "Yeah, with the backing of said Earthbenders and you guys. In addition, I was only up against mediocre Firebenders, and no more than four at a time. This? This was five Firebenders, plus a highly trained prince and his uncle I have respect for, not to mention the foot soldiers. No, even I'm not that gutsy."

Aang smiled. "Well, you got us through in the end. That's what matters the most."

The trio burst into smiles, Aika not even able to fight off the small tug at her lips. "Hey, 'a day you survive can't be the worst.'"

A couple chuckles broke out at this.

* * *

After a quick stop where Aang rushed out to retrieve their items and his bison, not to mention Momo, they were soon floating down the river and into the sea at a leisurely pace. Gara had reacted fairly well to the fact that Aang was the Avatar.

"Hmm..." He'd stood over the boy, eyes gleaming. "How much would the Fire Nation pay..."

As Aang shrank under his gaze, Aika shook her head. "Sorry, Gara. Not for sale. Besides, he intends to topple the Fire Lord. Suddenly, that troublesome blockade around the Fire Nation you always have to run will be gone. No more sneaking in and out of the Fire Nation to get their best goods straight from the homeland."

Gara smiled devilishly, rubbing his iguana-parrot's (Lulan, Aika informed them she was named) head thoughtfully, he nodded. "I'll gladly take that trade-off."

Aika looked back at the world map in her hands, eyes tracing the long path they'd have to take to the North Pole. Looking to Aang, she advised, "We should get going. Gara and his crew are headed south, toward Senlin Village, though they'll give us a bit of food for the trip."

Aang nodded, looking to Appa, swimming happily beside the ship. "Awesome!"

Now, the team was mostly on the back of the bison, newly filled bags and stomachs, Aika the only one left on the ship. Gara putting a hand on her shoulder, he asked, "You're sure you don't want to stay? We always need a good 'high-risk trader' like yourself."

Aika smiled, shaking her head. "For now, these idiots need me, and I'll find what I need with them. After though... Well, maybe a jaunt to the North Pole will cure me of my dislike for water."

Gara snorted. "You'll need that to be a pirate, little snake. Now, if that's it, then off with ya."

Aika nodded, the two clasping hands one last time before she jumped ship, holding her breath as she dropped over the water and into the bison's saddle. Waving as they left, the Gaang cried out thanks and farewells as Aang cried, "Yip yip," Appa taking to the skies and joining the clouds.

Up in the expanse of blue, Aika sat brushing her hair out with her fingers, the burnt ends of her hair still frayed like a ruined rope as she attempted to retie her hair into a braid. Sokka and Katara sitting closer to Aang, Katara smiled at her fellow girl. "You know, she knew that old Fire Nation guy, and the pirates. I'm not sure we'll ever know about everything Aika's done, but I'd like to hear those stories someday."

Sokka shrugged. "As long as none of them include anymore wacky pirates or crazy princes."

* * *

Back at the beach, the Fire Nation ship was still recovering from the loss they'd suffered. A few injuries here and there were all, but the pride of the ship was damaged worse than anything. Zuko, after huffing enough smoke to warrant a wildfire had started, had plopped down on the beach, beside the tree that Aika had been tied to.

 _She beat me. She out maneuvered me, then played dirty. I think it might be time I begin to shift my strategy..._

As he sat there, the sun rising and giving him new energy, he looked about, thinking of Aika, thinking over everything he knew about her and the Gaang. He'd fought her now. He must've learned something in this fight, besides her anything-goes strategy!

Giving up on thinking, he moved his arms back to lay down, his fingers meeting rope. Frowning, he pulled it toward himself, finding the rope that had held Aika to the tree. A knot was partially untied, yet it seemed the attempt to reverse it had become to frustrating. Instead, next to the tie, the rope had been seared by fire, each end still frayed from the flames.

 **Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Jet

**So, no big deal, just wanted to point it out, but HOLY CRAP WE'RE ALREADY AT 31 FOLLOWERS! I expected the fandom to have quieted, but it seems you're all alive and kicking, and damn, I love you all so much! You have no idea how this warms my heart, especially at seeing a whopping FIVE REVIEWS for a single chapter! I mean, damn, you guys are absolutely incredible! Thank you so much, I love you so much!**

 **Guest: Apparently, I'm updating right now! The thing is, my inspiration comes in spikes of energy- this chapter was written a little the day of the last chapter, and the other 8/10ths were done last night at 1 AM. Still, I love this story very much, and I will under no circumstances abandon it. As to becoming a mary sue, I also hope that I can keep her at a good equilibrium. Thank you for your feedback!**

 **Mogor: XD Yes, here is more chapter. Hope enjoy and many thank!**

 **Rose: Ahh, Aika would love to hear that! Thank you for reviewing!**

 **KnightOwl: Hmm, it all depends on whether you think Aika is a liar or not. Would she lie that her parents are dead? Or would she fib to protect herself? As to the pirates, I was probably overly proud for that little twist, but thank you!**

 **Nerdy: XD Hey, I've got to keep you guessing somehow, don't I? Thank you for your feedback!**

Chapter 4: Jet

"Where's Momo?"

The Gaang was currently set down in a forest, sitting beneath the red leaves of the tall trees, bowls of rice in their hands, all sitting but Aang. The Avatar stood, looking around worriedly for his lemur companion.

Aika swallowed her mouthful of food before dismissing, "He probably is off terrorizing the local wildlife. He'll be fine, Aang."

Yet the Airbender raised his staff, looking around the trees. Aika sighed, leaning back against Appa, curled up and eating a pile of grass they'd scrounged up. _Why is it that every time we have a few minutes to relax, something happens?_ It had been only two days since their fun with Gara's crew and Zuko's attempt to apprehend Aang, a bit of leftover adrenaline keeping them on edge.

Aang declared, "I'm going to go find him," extending the wings on his glider and swerving between trees, the worthless whistle in his hand. Sokka and Aika still insisted that it didn't work, but Aang seemed to believe that it was almost magical.

With Aang running around looking for Momo, the three remaining members shared a quick look and coming to a silent understanding, finishing their lunch quickly. They couldn't let the boy wander around alone- knowing him, he'd stumble onto a hidden tribe of commandos intent on destroying everything related to their enemies.

Wandering around the forest, they quickly found Aang close by, staring up at the trees. Three metal traps, Fire Nation design, Aika could tell, were hanging from the branches. Two hog monkeys hanging in spherical cages of metal strips, another cage held Momo captive.

Aang quickly responded accordingly, blasting into the air with a spurt of air, spiraling as he jumped tree to tree, calling, "Hang on, Momo!"

Aang reached the ropes suspending the trap, lowering them down to his earthbound companions, Aika stepping forward. She quickly looked over the trap, ordering, "Turn it to the side- the metal collapses in on itself." The two obeyed, helping her to pull the strips of metal toward themselves, the sphere now only in half, Momo happily hopping out.

Aang dropped back down, quickly petting Momo's head as if to reassure himself the lemur was alright. Yet before anyone could say anything, he took a single look at the whimpering hog monkeys also trapped and was back in the air. "Oh, alright. You too!"

As he shimmied his way up a branch, Sokka sighed. "This is gonna take forever." He drew his boomerang, flinging it upward. The weapon quickly cut through the ropes holding up the remaining traps.

The two traps left falling to the ground and open, the monkeys ran off as Aang smiled. "That works!"

Aika didn't need another look at the traps to know where they were from. "These are Fire Nation traps, meaning soldiers are nearby. Unless we want another fight, we should move camp."

Sokka agreed, "We're not getting mixed up with even more fighting."

The group quickly made their ways back to the camp, wrapping up bedrolls and refilling empty bags. Yet as Aika and Katara were handing said items up to Aang on Appa's back, Sokka suddenly protested, "Nuh-uh, no flying this time!"

As Sokka took a bedroll from Aang, the Airbender inquired, "What? Why wouldn't we fly?"

Aika nodded. "If we want to make good time to the North Pole, we can't walk, and like hell am I going swimming." While she'd yet to outright admit her fear of water, the others had picked up on it well enough without her needing to say it.

Sokka pointed out, "Think about it- somehow, Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep noticing us. It's because of Appa, he's too noticeable."

Katara, hands on her hips, exclaimed in disbelief, "What? Appa's not noticeable!"

Sokka waved his arms wildly in Appa's direction. "He's a giant fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!"

Appa moaned in annoyance, Aang soothing, "Sokka's just jealous because he doesn't have an arrow."

Aika sighed. "Yeah, he's a freaking beast, but as long as we're more careful about where we put down to camp, we should be fine!"

Sokka raised his hands pleadingly to the others. "I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts are telling me we should play it safe this time and walk."

Katara questioned, "Who made you the boss?"

Sokka defended, "I'm not the boss, I'm the leader."

Aika snorted as Katara laughed. " _You're_ the leader? But your voice still cracks!"

Sokka, voice cracking as if in evidence, squeaked, "I'm the oldest, and I'm a warrior!" Deepening his voice, he continued, "So I'm the leader!"

Aika rolled her eyes. "I have no interest in leading, but if leadership was determined by age, I win, Ponytail. Sixteen beats fifteen, doesn't it?"

Sokka held to his stubbornness eagerly. "Yeah, well I've been in the group longer than you!"

Aika smirked. "And exactly how many fights with Firebenders have you won?"

Sokka turned pure red from head to toe as he defended, "That's unimportant!"

Katara interjected, "If anyone should be leader, it should be Aang. I mean, he is the Avatar."

Sokka sputtered, "Are you kidding me?! He's just a goofy kid!"

Aang, currently hanging from Appa's horn upside down, agreed, "He's right."

Katara sighed as Sokka shouldered a bag. "Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl."

Sokka vehemently defended, "I've kissed a girl! You just, uh, haven't met her!"

Katara arched an eyebrow. "Who? Gran-Gran? I've met Gran-Gran."

"No, besides Gran-Gran! Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts."

Katara sighed, giving in to Sokka pleas. "Okay, we'll try it your way, oh wise leader."

Aika shook her head, mentally groaning. _I've already walked this continent five times over, and now that I have a few fri- allies with a FLYING BUFFALO, we're walking again?!_ Sighing, Aika muttered, "This is such Gemsbok bullshit."

Aang, a pack on his back and Momo clinging to said pack, eagerly piped, "Who knows? Walking might be fun!"

Aika shook her head. "I can already tell you that theory is going to be in the dirt soon, kid."

* * *

True to Aika's prediction, about an hour later, Aang whined, "Walking stinks! Why does anyone go anywhere without a flying bison?"

The group had made decent headway, though not without violent resistance. Katara had been taunting him about his instinctual leadership the entire way, Aang attempting to keep a happy exterior, yet it was falling quickly at this point Appa stomping along behind them. Aika, however, had been quietly leading the pack, obviously the most fit of them all for stamina. Walking quickly in the lead, she suddenly was on high alert again in the same way as when they'd first met her- as if she expected fire to spout from the trees and burn her.

Responding to Aang's complaint, Katara suggested, "I don't know, Aang. Maybe you should ask Sokka's instincts. They seem to know everything."

Sokka sarcastically laughed at her comment. "Very funny."

Aang griped, "I'm tired of carrying this pack."

Katara responded, "Do you know who you should ask to carry it for awhile? Sokka's instincts!"

"That's a great idea! Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind-"

Sokka snapped, "Okay, okay, I get it! Look guys, I'm tired too, but the important thing is we're safe from the Fire Na..tion..."

Sokka and Aika pulled the bushes away for the others to walk through, suddenly freezing in their tracks, Sokka's voice trailing off.

On the other side of the bushes, three tents were in a semi-circle, all marked with the symbol of the Fire Nation, at least twenty Fire Nation soldiers scattered around the fire pit in the center. Some sat on logs around the pit, others talking in clusters around the tents, all of them looked at the intruding quartet.

Aika attempted to calmly remedy the situation: "Hello, we are..." she paused for a second. "Travelers. We were just looking for the nearest town." She tried to stand in front of Aang to hide the arrow-headed boy, but it was too late.

"It's the Avatar!"

"Get him!"

Sokka squeaked, "Run!" The group immediately whirled backward to reach Appa, but a Firebender thrust out his fist, a burst of fire setting the bushes aflame, the flame quickly spreading and scaring off the bison, Momo clinging to his saddle. Sokka exclaimed, "We're cut off!"

Aang pointed in panic at Sokka's flaming shirt. "Sokka, your shirt!"

As Sokka wildly screeched and patted out the flames, Katara using her water pouch to put them out, Aika turned to glare at the soldiers. "Well, when diplomacy fails..." Diving forward, she quickly snatched a spear from a soldier, shoving it toward him, the shaft hitting his abdomen and knocking the wind out of him, his grip loosening and allowing her to tear it away. She stormed forward, holding the spear horizontally in front of her, swiftly snapping it in half over the helmet of a soldier, kicking him away before backing away, standing defensively in front of the group. Armed with the two halves of the spear, she kept the pointed spear at them, she glared down everyone who dared to look at her.

The soliders forming the half of the circle the fire didn't, they were completely trapped. Sokka stammered, "I-If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you!"

Katara whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Bluffing."

The leading solider laughed. " _You_ promise not to hurt _us?"_

Aika hissed, "Take a single step and you'll know what he means." While it was a bluff, Aika was more than ready to keep it up.

Suddenly, with a soft whooshing noise, the soldier's leader collapsed, falling forward.

Aang, naive as ever, congratulated, "Nice work, Sokka! How'd you do that?"

Sokka, staring at the fallen soldier, spoke in stunned wonder, "Uh, instinct?"

Aika shook her head. "If it was you, it was Stupiditybending."

"Hey!"

Katara pointed upward into the trees. "Look!"

Aika assumed this must be some sort of trick, yet as she glanced into the trees, a boy stood in the tree, smirking downward. A patchwork of armor and a red long-sleeved shirt was his wardrobe, his shaggy brown hair loose and wild. Two tiger hook swords in his hands, he used them to drop down from his branch, latching the curved ends of his swords onto the tree. Detatching them as he swung forward, he dropped down on top of two Fire Nation soldiers, a foot on each of their backs.

Immediately keeping in motion, he ran forward toward two more soldiers, hooking his sword around one of each's ankles and keeping in motion, pulling his swords up and bending behind his back as he suddenly flung forward, using their unbalance to send them flying forward toward the ground, landing on to of the first soldier to collapse, landing with a grunt.

The boy, smirking with a sprig of wheat stuck between his teeth, he quipped, "Down you go."

Suddenly, Aika was in action, throwing the shaft of her broken spear into the face of a soldier, the man yelling in pain as he staggered back, clutching the eye she'd hit. Rushing forward, she swiftly kicked him in the chest, knocking him on his back. Clutching the other half of her spear, she quickly shoved the wooden end into another soldier's chest, winding him as she gave him a good shove, knocking him over. Stabbing her spear downward, the tip hit the fabric next to his neck, pinning him to the ground by his clothes.

"They're in the trees!"

Meanwhile, the boy with the tiger swords had been expertly disarming and defeating soldiers, other mismatched people dropping from the trees as he had. A short boy plopped down on a soldier's shoulders, twisting his helmet so the cloth over the back covered his eyes, arrows raining down from one boy shooting several projectiles at once, soldiers running in terror from the sharpshooter's skills.

A pair of these anti-Fire Nation tree climbers dropped down, one using brute force to toss two soldiers away, the other using a knife to disarm them with ease.

Aang and Katara hadn't been excluded- they took to bending water and air to send soldiers skidding across the clearing. However, Sokka found himself of less use. About to swing at a soldier with his boomerang, the first boy with the hook swords kicked him away.

Sokka protested, "Hey, he was mine!"

The boy smirked. "Gotta be quicker next time."

Rushing off to another fight, Sokka gave him a half-hearted glare, Katara's gaze lingering on the boy with admiration for a moment.

Through the rest of the fight, Sokka found himself being outdone, the boy with the hook swords always stealing the hit before he could get in a single blow.

Aika, barehanded and staring down three soldiers with spears raised, was smirking as she feinted a dive to the right, the soldier thrusting his spear downward in response. Popping back up, she slammed her foot down on the spear, snapping it. Yet the other two spears stabbed at her, one cutting across her side, the other missing completely.

Her hand wrapped around the spear just behind the tip, yanking it toward herself, pulling the man a step toward herself, the girl laughing. "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

His eyes widening, she twisted on one foot as her other leg swung up, her sandaled foot crashing into his cheek as she yanked the spear back, the spear's tip cutting her fingers slightly as she did so.

However, she had been too focused on the single soldier. The other, spear reared back, now thrust forward- only for two hooks to curl around the spear, pulling oppositely and snapping it just as the tip scratched Aika's shoulder. The boy with the swords gave Aika a wink as he moved his swords, a hooked point around the remaining soldier's wrist. Twisting the man's arm behind him, it was easy for him to yank him to the ground.

Aika, watching with slight surprise, delivered one more swift kick to the second soldier, her heel clashing with his forehead. Only one soldier remained, the boy quickly dealing with it, Aika hanging back to survey the clearing.

The Fire Nation soldiers had run or crawled away, leaving the camp overtaken by these ragtag fighters. Some looked around the camp, peeking into the tents, a few standing near the fire.

The boy with the hooked swords however, had quickly made his way over to Katara, now standing side by side as they overlooked the campsite.

Aika made her way over to them at the same time as Sokka and Aang, the latter praising, "You just took out a whole army almost single-handed!"

Aika muttered, "What am I, chopped chicken-pork?"

Sokka, ignoring the half-blood, exclaimed, "Army?! There were only like, twenty guys!"

The boy walked forward, turning back to face them with a confident smirk. "My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters." He gestured to each of his men, naming them in turn. "Sneers, Lonshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

Aika's heart suddenly pounded. _Jet._

How had she not seen it? How hadn't she recognized that face, the shaggy head of hair. _Of all the people, why him? Why was he the one I had to run into?_

Memories flashed through her mind: fire, burning buildings, soldiers pounding through the small village's paths on the backs of komodo rhinos.

 _"Aika, stay close!"_

 _"You did this! You brought them here!"_

 _"You've ruined everything, you mutt! You've doomed us all!"_

Aika turned away, trying to discreetly pull her braid loose. The leather band pulling away, she ran a hand through her hair, letting it fall over her face. _He can't recognize me, he just can't... If he did, he'd ruin everything!_

Aang was joking with the giant man with a chunk of lumber as his weapon and the shortest of the bunch, the giant laughing heartily and smacking Aang so hard on the shoulder, the boy faceplanted in the dirt, though continued laughing.

Katara, grinning strangely at Jet, introduced, "I'm Katara. This is my brother Sokka-" Said brother mumbled a greeting, "and my friends Aang-" The Avatar grinned and waved, "And this is-"

"Toya," Aika cut in. Katara frowned at her, Aika shooting her a desperate look.

The Water Tribe girl's confusion skyrocketed, yet she didn't question it, agreeing, "Toya."

Jet smiled, though he caught on that something was off- Toya obviously wasn't this girl's name, but not wanting someone you've just met to know your name was natural. Still, he was wary of the girl. "Well, it's nice to meet all of you. Excuse me."

He moved off, ordering the men around, then seating himself in the shade of a tree, watching both his men and the travelers.

Aang wandering about in awe, Sokka sulked off to the side, Aika having excused herself to go bring Appa and Momo back after hurriedly telling the group to call her Toya until she could explain later, Katara now bashfully speaking with Jet.

Meanwhile, Aika had easily found Appa and Momo, who had simply retreated a clearing away. Patting the bison on the head as the lemur fluttered down onto her shoulder, chattering in her ear and snacking on some berries. _I can't believe this is where Jet ended up. I suppose the village being destroyed sent all of us somewhere different. I just never expected anything like this to happen..._ She shook her head. _The sooner we get away from Jet, the better. He wasn't in the best shape the last I saw him._

Leading the bison back, she was careful to keep her hair over her face as she re-entered the clearing.

Aang immediately ran up to her, grinning as he hugged Appa and Momo glided onto Aang's shoulder. "A- Uh, Toya, Jet's inviting us to his hideout!"

Aika gaped for a moment, panic swirling. "Uh, Aang, don't we have to get you to the North?"

Aang shrugged. "There's plenty of time! We can rest for a day or two with these guys!"

Aika looked around, sighing. "... Yeah. Yeah, no harm." _Except if Jet realizes who I am._

Jet's men pulling a cart full of their stolen goods, they walked out into the forest for a good half hour before Jet stopped them. Aika looked around, frowning. There seemed to be nothing special about the patch of thick trees, vines crawling the tree's trunks.

Sokka cynically said, "Where? There's nothing here."

Jet, a smirk on his lips, grabbed a vine- which Aika recognized to actually be a rope with a small loop at the bottom- and offered it to Sokka. "Hold this."

Sokka, frowning as he grabbed the loop, inquired, "What's this do- _woah!"_ The rope pulled up, the loop slipping onto his wrist as he was pulled screaming up into the branches, hitting another patch of leaves with a yell before disappearing into the foliage.

Jet offered another rope. "Aang?"

Aang declined politely, "I'll get up on my own." The boy held up to the statement, jumping bough to bough with a little Airbending help.

Jet winked to Aika again. "Toya?"

She swiftly denied, "I'll be fine on my own." She could tell that Jet had become a bit of a flirt in their time apart, and if she let that go on, he might just want to see her "pretty face." She didn't trust that they'd been separated long enough for him not to recognize her if he got a good look. Instead, she moved for her own rope from near the trunk.

Shrugging, Jet then turned his attention to Katara, offering a hand. "Grab hold of me, Katara."

Katara blushed and take his hand. The boy quickly spun Katara charmingly into his chest, the girl turning a furious shade of red as she looked in wonder at the Freedom Fighter, his arm wrapped around her waist as they were pulled up, much slower than Sokka.

Aika watched with narrow eyes after them, fingers closing around a loop as they reached the treetops. The rope yanking her upward, the world of trees and bushes blurred until she came to a stop, looking at an entirely different world all together.

Wooden platforms were built around the tree trunks, columns of wooden planks nailed to the trees to function as steps leading to higher and lower platforms all over. Some of the flats were covered with tarps, most supported by ropes nailed higher up to the tree, a zipline system crossing the entire span of the hidden village, at least twenty trees inhabited by the platforms and rope bridges crossing between.

Aika looked down, seeing she'd been pulled up a hole in a platform, a reel in the branches above her, and several other similar holes all across the current wooden terrace she was hanging over. Stepping off and onto the platform, she let go of the rope, looking around to find Sokka sitting near the hole he must've come up, Jet and Katara standing nearby, the girl still blushing profusely, the other Fighters near a rope bridge.

Aang, having already found the zipline, soared past, yelling, "Nice place you've got!"

Katara admired, "It's beautiful up here!"

Jet agreed, "It's beautiful, and more importantly, the Fire Nation can't find us."

The fighter- Smellerbee, if Aika remembered right- with face paint and a thick leather chestplate, joked in a gravelly voice, "They'd love to find you, wouldn't they, Jet?"

The boy denied, "It's not gonna happen, Smellerbee." Waving to them, he lead them across a wood and rope bridge. "Come on, I'll show you around."

Following, Aika hanging back and listening, Katara inquired, "Why does the Fire Nation want to find you?"

Jet coyly smirked. "I guess you could say I've been causing them a little trouble. See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back."

The Fighter built like a giant- Pipsqueak, she could remember the ironic name- grumbled with a voice like a mountain personified, "We've been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with them."

Sokka, just in front of Aika but behind Pipsqueak, was desperately trying to jump above the level of Pipsqueak's shoulders to be better involved in the conversation, having little luck.

Jet continued, "One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out for good, and free that town."

Katara turned her head slightly to the side, smiling. "That's so brave."

Yet Aika could barely look up from the wooden planks. _So, trying to keep what happened to us from happening here? It figures. You were always a bit noble, Jet. Still, after everything that's happened..._ She had to stop, surveying the treetop city once more.

 _How could you have gotten from where I last saw you to here?_

"Uh, _Toya?_ You okay?"

Aika looked up, finding Sokka having touched her shoulder, looking at her with suspicious concern. "You've been acting weird."

Aika immediately excused, "Just... taking in the territory."

Sokka nodded a bit, softly saying, "I know, I have my doubts about this place too."

 _Not what I was going for, but hey, if it keeps the questions away..._ "Yeah. It's a little off. For now, let's just keep moving."

They made a quick jog, Sokka rejoining Katara and Jet with Aika still hanging back, catching Jet say, "- shot's town got burnt down by the Fire Nation. We caught the Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home."

Katara hesitantly asked, "And what about you?"

Aika's eyes widened, her heart pounding so hard, it should've broken through her chest. _Does he even know? Does he blame me for what happened back then? Oh no, oh please-_

Jet stopped in his tracks, staring down past the bridge. "... The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eleven years old. That day changed me forever."

Aika's relief was so overpowering, she could barely hear Katara explain how she and Sokka had lost their mother to the Fire Nation's raids, Jet expressing his solemn condolences.

 _He doesn't know. It's either that, or he knows and simply doesn't want these guys to know the details. Either way, I'm safe for now._

But suddenly, Jet was looking at her. "So, what's got you with this crew, Toya?"

Aika glanced away, hair falling between herself and Jet. "Just a runaway from another village taken by the Fire Nation. I didn't fancy living under their kind after they killed my mom and dad."

Jet gave a solemn nod, though Aika couldn't see it. "I'm truly sorry. It's not fair we've all lost so much to this war."

The three of them silent, they stood like this for a good while, almost... a silent connection. But Aika wasn't feeling as much of the sympathy for one another. She mostly felt guilty for what she'd done, and all that she'd taken from the people she once knew.

* * *

They were given a platform with a tarp draped over the top, held up by ropes, as their resting place for the night, Aika immediately confining herself to the inside where she sat meditating. When Jet asked her if she'd like to come on the tour of the treetop, she politely excused that she had to "recenter herself," the excuse being odd enough to send Jet away without much fuss.

Yet when the nighttime came, Aang poked his head in the tent, calling, "Ai-Toya, come on! We're eating dinner with the Freedom Fighters!"

Aika was about to refuse when her stomach rumbled, the girl slowly nodding. "Alright, I'm coming."

Stepping outside, the sun had disappeared, the darkness lit up by strings of lanterns across the treetops. Aika quickly saw an especially bright cluster of lights, all around a long wooden table. Assuming this was where to go, she quickly climbed a ladder and down to the table.

Jet smiled, greeting, "Glad you could make it."

Aika shrugged, seating herself far away from him at the end of the table, only beside Smellerbee. "I'm feeling much more in touch with the universe now." She had absolutely no idea what she was talking about- still, Jet seemed happy to simply take the answer and give his attention back to Katara on his right.

As berries and meat were spread across the table, Jet stood, raising a wooden cup. "Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine!" A cheer rose from those at the table, and the other Fighters sitting in the trees with their food. "I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face when the Duke dropped down on his shoulders and rode him like a wild hog monkey."

The Duke, taking this moment to revel in his own glory, jumped up on the table, circling a plate of chopped meat, raised fists pumping in victory while the Fighters cheered again, the Gaang clapping politely.

Jet continued as the Duke sat down, "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a bunch of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right..."

A loud, angry "boo" resounded, the Fighters responding in synchronization to the notion.

"Or maybe..." For a single moment, as Aika looked into Jet's eyes, she could see something cold in his gaze- a hatred burning through him without check, a flame causing frostbite to any that looked. Aika knew that look well. It was one she wore often. "They're _dead wrong."_

Fighters cheered, whooped, and clapped, none of the rest of the Gaang seeing the terrifying rage that had covered Jet's features for that single second.

Aika started to feel worry build in the pit of her stomach, her doubts from before resurfacing. _Jet, what are you thinking? When we last met, you were unstable... I thought this transformation was too good to be true, but is he really like me? Please, don't say he's made my mistakes..._

Katara complimented, "Hey, Jet. Nice speech."

Jet, seating himself between Sokka and Katara, smiled. "Thanks. By the way, I was really impressed by you and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today."

Katara modestly responded, "Well, he's great. He's the Avatar. I could use some more training."

Jet arched an eyebrow, obviously impressed. "Avatar, huh? Very nice."

Aang answered with a wide grin. "Thanks, Jet!"

The Fighter leader continued, "So I might know a way that you and Aang can help in our struggle."

Aika, eavesdropping from farther away, couldn't protest, but lucky, Sokka did so for her, standing and walking past Jet. "Actually, we have to leave tonight."

Aika let out her breath as Jet's voice suddenly became lighter- a bit more forced. "Come on, Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow!"

Sokka turned, frowning. "What kind of mission?"

Aika wanted to facepalm, but thinking that would be too attention-grabbing, simply chugged the water in her cup, muttering as she put it down, "Freakin' boys..."

From beside her, a voice agreed, "You're telling me."

Aika, blinking, looked up to Smellerbee, confusion racking her mind. "Uh..."

Smellerbee huffed. "I'm a girl, you dumbass."

Aika suddenly felt her face turn pink, her embarrassment sending her eyes far across the platform. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean offense!"

The apparent girl sighed, grumbling under her breath. "Whatever."

Now that she was looking, it was obvious to Aika- her smooth face, her albeit more flat, but slightly curled armor in the chest. Softly, she repeated, "I really am sorry. I never assumed you were either. I try to take people for who they are, not what." Being a mutt, she'd often been on the less fortunate end of that kind of thinking.

Smellerbee blinked, seeing the sincerity in Aika's eyes, nodding a bit. "... Thanks. I can appreciate that."

The two shared a slight smile, raised their drinks to each other, and finished off the cups, Aika considering that maybe another day wouldn't be so bad.

An hour later, the Fighters were beginning to crash, falling asleep at the tables or retreating to their tarp-draped rooms. The Gaang found themselves back in their large makeshift tent, setting out bedrolls near the trunk.

Aika was hoping silently they'd forget, that they wouldn't question her, but no such luck. Just as Aika was laying back, Aang asked innocently, "Hey, Aika? Why do you want us to call you Toya here?"

Sighing, she sat up. "... I did say I'd explain. Well, I have a bit of a rough history with Jet."

Katara blinked, surprise fluttering across her face. "You knew Jet? Before all this?"

Aika nodded. "We... We came from the same village, a little iron mining village called Tetsu." Bowing her head, she closed her eyes, hoping it would help fend off the memories assaulting her vision. It didn't. "The Fire Nation burnt down our village when we were eleven, and we both lost our parents in the fire."

Quiet took over the group, no one sure what to say- they'd known of course, but hearing it was just another reminder of the pains of war.

After awhile, Sokka quietly asked, "So why don't you want Jet to know you're here?"

Aika explained, "Like I said, we have a rough history. We grew up in the same episode, but we didn't know each other well. I wasn't exactly allowed to play with most of the other kids."

Aang frowned. "Why not?"

Aika bit back her annoyance, reminding herself that these guys didn't understand how the Earth Kingdom worked these days. "I'm an impure, Aang. A mutt, more commonly called. We're outcasts to most of society. Impure kids can't interact with most other kids, since we're half of what our village hated." Seeing their looks of disgust and dismay, she quickly tried to placate them. "Of course, it's different around the world. The few times I've gone to Ba Sing Se, they have anti-discrimination laws in place. It's just... well, a lot of us just have to live on the outside of normality. Gara, my pirate friend, is a mutt too. After all, most mutts choose to live separate from most cultures."

Katara asked, "But that doesn't explain why you don't use your name here."

"I'm half Fire Nation, Katara. Half a reminder of what happened to our village, half of what he fights. I may not be as welcome here. Besides, Jet seems to have made something better of himself now. The last time I saw him, he was screaming and crying in the ashes of the town. He already has those memories haunting him, I don't need to drag them back up."

Sokka frowned at the girl- something didn't add up. They obviously had had some sort of falling out, something more than just a difference in blood and bad memories. Still, he had a mission with Jet in the morning, and he needed sleep. "Alright, I'll try to call you Toya. I assume you're not coming tomorrow then?"

Aika shook her head. "No way. I'm not risking it."

Sokka again felt that feeling of "something was adding up," but knew Aika would only redirect him away from the subject. Instead, he laid down in his bedroll. "Then it's our secret, guys."

Aika nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

And they laid down for the night, settling down for the night.

* * *

Aika was up when Sokka left, but the girl was in her usual position- crossed legs, arms in her lap, eyes closed, sitting outside on the platform with her back to the tree trunk. Even with Aang's excited yelling on the zipline and his showing off of snapping spheres to Sokka when he returned couldn't pull her out of her deepest thoughts, mostly centered around revenge.

Katara, climbing down from their tent, greeted, "Hey, Sokka. Is Jet back yet?"

Sokka sullenly replied, "Yeah, he's back. But we're leaving."

Aika opened her eyes. "About time."

Aang made a sound of surprise, Katara sadly protesting, "But I made him this hat." Pulling out a monstrosity of stitched-together red leaves and an orange flower topping, she looked rather proud of the... clothing?

Sokka growled, "Your boyfriend Jet's a thug."

Aika frowned, Katara defending, "What? No he's not!"

"He's messed up, Katara!"

Aang perkily interjected, "He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life. A really _fun_ way of life!"

Aika shook her head. "Guys, if Sokka thinks something is wrong, let's at least hear him out." _Jet, please say you made better decisions than me..._

Sokka nodded gratefully to her, explaining, "On our mission, he beat and robbed a harmless old man."

Katara, crossing her arms, insisted, "I want to hear Jet's side of the story."

Aika, despite wanting to come and hear, stayed seated. "I'll wait to know the outcome of this debate."

Another half hour later, Sokka was the only one to return. "Where are the others?"

Sokka grumbled, "Still talking to Jet... Why do they think he's so great, anyway?!"

Aika shrugged. "He's a natural leader, Sokka. People gravitate toward people like that. What happened in there?"

Sokka, retreating into the tent with a prickle of jealousy in his mind, began rolling his pack, Aika following to listen. "Okay, so the guy Jet robbed was Fire Nation, but he was also a civilian! Jet tried to spin a story about him being an assassin with a knife and poison to kill him, but I don't believe it. The guy didn't have a knife!"

Aika nodded slowly, dread setting in as her fears were confirmed. "Then we need to-"

Katara suddenly brushed aside the flap of the tent, Aang following close behind as she demanded, "We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down an entire forest!"

Sokka, finished with his bedroll, stood. "I'm sorry, Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him."

Katara shot back, "Do you know what I think? You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!"

Both undeniably true, in Aika's opinion, though she didn't dare voice such a thing. "Still, Jet is using his skill for the wrong reasons."

Katara looked in surprise to Aika. "You're siding with Sokka? I thought you were all about 'sticking it to the Fire Nation.'"

Aika spread her palms innocently, trying to keep the peace. "I am, but Jet's going about it all wrong. Citizens are bound to get hurt in the crossfire, with how he's acting."

Sokka, having turned Katara's words over in his mind and found them mostly untrue, continued, "I'm not jealous, Katara. It's just that my instincts are-"

"Well, _my instincts_ tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on, Aang."

Storming out, the Avatar trailed after her, softly apologizing, "Sorry, Sokka."

The two standing together in the tent, Aika sighed. "Stubborn, isn't she?"

Sokka miserably agreed, "Very."

"Must run in the family."

* * *

Having been enlisted to stay one more day, the crew crashed once more in their tent, but while Sokka couldn't sleep, the others could rest easily. Aika's usually light sleeping couldn't pick up Sokka's soft footfalls as he crept out that night, or the quiet orders Jet gave out in the night.

Yet when she rose with the dawn, she immediately took note of Sokka's absence. "Damn it... Probably went snooping around..." Sighing, she stood, not waking the others. She wouldn't worry them if there wasn't need.

Pulling her hair across her face, she began wandering the treetop camp, walking around and asking passerby about if any had seen Sokka. But no one had seen him.

 _Great. Now I can either wake up the others, or go to Jet. ... No contest._

She quickly made her way back to the tent, poking her head in. "Psst, guys. Time to wake up. The sun is up, you should be too."

Katara yawned, rubbing her eyes, Aang grumbling as he blinked blearily around. "Wha-What's going on?"

"I can't find Sokka. He's no where in the camp."

Katara suddenly was much more awake, pushing to her feet and looking around for herself. "What? Where could he have gone?"

Aika shook her head. "I have no idea, but I've had no luck looking for him."

Aang nodded solemnly, lifting his staff. "I'll go look-"

"You guys looking for Sokka?" Turning, Jet had dropped down from a higher platform, smirking at them. "He went out on a scouting mission with Smellerbee and Pipsqueak awhile ago. Well, mind if I borrow you, Aang, Katara?"

The two happily agreed, Jet then turning his attention to Aika. "So, you want to help scout as well, Toya?"

Aika shook her head. "I'm not much help, I'm afraid."

"Ah, come on. I saw you fight the other day. You're pretty good."

"When I need to be. Excuse me, Appa probably needs some grass."

Walking toward the bison, Jet watched her with veiled suspicion, Katara excusing, "Sorry, Toya's just a bit nervous. She doesn't like any of us being separated."

Jet slowly nodded, still watching her. "Yeah. I can understand that." Yet his eyes were trained on the bandages seemingly eternally wrapped around her arm, and the notched ear that poked out from her hair.

* * *

Aika brought Appa to a clearing to eat, then immediately made for the reservoir. Sokka had been suspicious of Jet, and this was were the Fighter's leader always spent his time. Maybe Sokka had come here thinking to play spy- or maybe Aika simply wanted to assure herself nothing was wrong.

Either way, she quickly found herself at the edge of the dam, watching as his Fighters unloaded barrels of blasting jelly at the dam's base.

Two and two fell together to make four, Aika's mind snapping into action. Whirling, she was ready to race up the riverside to where Jet had led Aang and Katara, but turned to find Jet himself, standing with arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "Nice to see you again, Toya. What do you think of our efforts?"

Aika growled, "You're going to kill everyone in that village, drown them just because the Fire Nation is there too? I think you're insane."

Jet sighed. "You're obviously not going to be swayed. Sokka wouldn't listen to reason either."

Aika's eyes lit with anger, demanding, "What did you do with him?!"

"The same that'll happen to you. You'll go for a nice walk."

Aika heard footsteps behind her, quickly stepping to the side as Sneers had tried to grab her from behind. As the Fighter lunged past her, she gave a quick kick to his side, making him cough and collapse. At the same time, she drew her hair back, dying it in a ponytail with her leather strap again, seeing little left to lose.

"Sorry, I only take my fights seriously against a leader."

Jet, pulling his swords from his back, looked at her with narrowed eyes serious. "Then I won't be playing nicely."

The two charged one another, Aika feinting to the left before twisting to the right, swinging her leg toward his head, but Jet foresaw her attack, raising his swords and curling the hooks around her ankle, twisting and putting her off balance. Easily pushing her over, she toppled to the ground, immediately rolling away and to her knees, lunging forward again, this time more cautious.

Jet swiped downward at her with his swords, Aika somersaulting out of the way and launching herself straight at Jet's knees, knocking him down. Arms flailing upward, swords still gripped in his hands, Jet fell on his back, Aika quickly attempting to pin him down. She managed to hold down one arm before Jet lashed out, slashing across her right hand, severing her bandages. Yanking back her hand, she stretched her foot up to step on his his elbow, her other hand holding his other arm down. "It seems I won."

Jet smirked, spitting out his piece of wheat. "Not yet." His wrist twisted, the crook of the sword hooking around her arm, his wrist twisting all the way around, forcing her arm to turn painfully. Yanking away before he could do any real damage, he took to chance to curl his legs up, feet quickly wrapping around her neck and dragging her backward.

Jet now free, he pushed to his feet, releasing Aika to slice at her as she sat up, the girl raising an arm defensively- the bandages fallen to show the red, lightning-pattern scar across her arm.

Jet froze in his place, eyes wide and his body shaking at the sight. "Y-You..."

"Yeah."

"B-But you... the fire..."

Aika slowly nodded. "Yeah, Jet. I'm still alive."

Jet's eyes suddenly narrowed, the shaking ending as rage took over his body. _"Not for much longer!"_

He sliced viciously with both swords, Aika somersaulting between his feet, popping up onto her feet, turning and shoving him forward. "I'm not dying today, Jet!" Jumping forward, she spun in middair, kicking him squarely in the chest as he turned to face her, sending him stumbling back several more feet.

It was here her good luck ended.

Jet surged forward as he regained his balance, slashing forward and forcing Aika to sidestep, ducking his second swipe, but unable to move away from his third strike, his first hook snatching her ankle and yanking her down. Falling with a pained gasp, Jet's sword pressed against her neck. He hissed, "You took everything! You ruined everyone's lives!"

Aika growled back, "I won't argue, Jet. It is my fault. But I can't change the fact that the village burned."

"And your lies? Telling Katara on the bridge, disgracing the past by claiming you lost as much as I did?!"

Aika insisted, "You know as well as I do that I don't have a father, and my mother might as well have died that day!"

Jet scowled. "Spare me your lies. You'll pay for all you've robbed me of, Aika."

His first sword still at her neck to keep her down, he raised his second for the killing blow as a blast of air crashed into him, knocking him away.

Aika sat up, grinning at Aang and Katara at the other side of the clearing. "Thanks for the assist."

Aang nodded, Katara demanding, "Jet, what are you doing?!"

Jet, standing and adjusting his grip on his swords, calmly pleaded, "Katara, you would do the same as I am if you'd just stop to think. Think of what the Fire Nation did to your mother. Of what people like her-" He pointed a sword to Aika, "-have done to me. We can't let that happen ever again."

Katara insisted, "This isn't the answer!"

"I want you to understand me, Katara. I thought you brother would understand, but..."

Katara's disbelief in what she was seeing and hearing turned to outrage. "Where's Sokka?"

"Katara..." Jet stepped forward as tears leaked down her cheeks, cupping her face in his hand. Just as Aika was about to lunge at him for the action, Katara suddenly tore the cork off her waterskin, the liquid bursting outward and shoving Jet on his back.

Recollecting the water, Aika urged, "Aang, fly to the dam, stop them!"

The boy nodded, knowing these two could handle Jet, extending his staff- as Jet suddenly jumped to his feet, swiping his sword outward, the hook catching on the wooden staff and yanking it toward him. "You're not going anywhere without your glider!"

Aang floating up into the trees, he yelled, "I'm not going to fight you, Jet!"

"You will if you want your glider back!"

Jet chasing Aang, Aika groaned. "We don't have time for this!" Whirling around, she raced along the cliffside, looking for the path down to the dam. After about a minute, the path was in sight, the girl racing downward to where she could see the blasting jelly was in place, the Fighters leaving to find safety before the ensuing flood. Running down, she arrived at the barrels as they had reached high ground on the other side, but she still ran straight across the mostly dry bed, hoping to stop whoever was meant to light the jelly.

Yet as she jumped the trickle of water that still remained in the riverbed, a loud whistle echoed from the far side of the river, another answering from the opposite side- Aang's side.

Dread and panic filled her mind. She hadn't thought through what would happen if she was still down in the basin if the dam broke. _Water. Oh no, please no... I can't- I can't be stuck down here when the dam breaks.._

Suddenly running as fast as she could, she could see a flaming arrow on the highest edge of her vision, falling slowly until it landed just behind her.

Her foot landed on the edge of the upward path as the jelly reacted, blasting the dam to shreds, the water sweeping outward, snatching Aika's legs out from under her. Fingers gripping the slick rocky edge of the path, the water pulled at her legs, trying to drag her in.

Complete panic. Absolute terror swept her mind, memories clouding her mind, keeping her from acting, eyes closing as if it would turn off the fear.

 _Rushing water, blood mixing with the water._

She felt her grip slipping.

 _Agonizing pain in her arm, tears and betrayal fresh in her eyes-_

Absolute terror for her life took over, the girl letting go only to grab on higher, where less water had splashed, giving her a stronger grip. Her feet fighting to find a foothold, she managed to push against a rock to pull herself onto the land, immediately crawling and scrambling away from the water. Stopping when she was fifteen feet up the path, back against the rocky path's side, her chest rose and fell rapidly, eyes wide with horror as she stared at the raging water.

 _I almost died again. I couldn't swim then, and I still would've drowned. I-I can't keep doing this, putting these little adventures before my goal. I-I need..._

Pulling her soaked legs against her chest, she murmured to herself, "No more distractions. I have to focus."

She sat there for a few minutes before Appa landed on the shore above her, Aika immediately shaking the terror from her eyes. She couldn't let them see her so weak, so pathetically afraid.

Looking up to them, Sokka sat on Appa's head, smiling down at her. "I heard you were worried."

Aika shrugged. "Mostly for the village." _Great, I almost died and I failed anyway._

"Then it's a good thing I evacuated them all."

Aika felt relief bloom in her chest, a smile crawling onto her lips. "Good job, Ponytail."

Katara smiled. "Well come on, we have to get moving again."

Aika nodded, standing and jogging up the path. "Then let's get in the air." Climbing up Appa's side, she pulled herself into the saddle, still wet and shaking, but fighting to keep the smile on her face. "A bit of air should dry me off pretty well. And Jet?"

Katara looked down, her eyes dark. "He's back there. We left him iced to a tree. His Fighters will free him- hopefully, they'll do something better from now on."Aika nodded slightly as Aang frowned. "Aika? Jet mentioned you when we showed up. He said... you did something to him."

Aika shook her head. "He was lying, Aang. Trying to explain why he was attacking him. I wouldn't lie to you like that."

The boy nodded, smiling. "I know you wouldn't. I just wanted to be sure."

Aika nodded, laying on her back as they lifted into the air, closing her eyes.

 _How long will I have to lie before the truth comes out?_

 **So... this is different for me. I've seen a lot of people do this, making a little bonus fun after the main chapter, but it actually is really fun, and I think you'll enjoy my little omake (bonus). It isn't canon to the story, but I think I'll get a giggle from you.**

 **OMAKE**

Sokka crossed his arms, defending, "Yeah, well I've been in the group longer than you!"

Aika snorted. "Big deal, you've been around for five more episodes than me."

Silence filled the clearing as everyone suddenly looked at Aika with horror. Sokka whispered, "You broke it..."

Katara finished, "The fourth wall has fallen."

"So will Ba Sing Se. I watched ahead." Aika turned to the audience, winking. "Hey, Deadpool does it and it's cheeky. I do it and it's suddenly bad?"

Aang cried, "I'm the Avatar, I have to fix this kind of thing!"

Aika patted the bald boy's head. "Calm down, Air Freshener. It's not like I mentioned the movie about us. They forgot to even put me in it! It was god awful anyway. Seriously, Yue's hair was-"

"Stop!" Aang waved his arms in the air, crying, "You're making it worse!"

"Oh? Microwave! Animals that aren't super awesome crossbreeds! Computers! Russia! zeppelins- wait, that's going to be a thing soon. Nevermind the last one!"

The Foaming Mouth Guy ran in the distance, froth falling from his slack jaw, the Cabbage Merchant yelling in the distance. "Huh, and to think they're going to be such famous characters to have follow-ups in Legend of Korra. Did you notice the Foaming Mouth Girl in the probending? And damn, Cabbage Corp was dead brilliant-"

"Stooooooop!" Sokka gripped his ponytail, the camera screen cracking. "We can't come back from this!"

"Oh, knock it off, Ponytail. By the way, you should start growing your hair out. You did that once in Book Three, and it looked pretty good- Ohhhh, shit." The crack in the camera shattered, and suddenly, where the camera had been was a child who had once been watching TV, now staring at the real deal, popcorn falling from his hands.

Aika blinked. "Uh... I'll give you a Ring Pop if you pretend you never saw us." With no reply but more blank staring, she pulled a candy ring from nowhere and tossed it, hitting the kid in the forehead, but he didn't flinch. Backing away, she waved her hands like she was using voodoo. "You neever saaaaaw usssss!"

Sokka backed away, arms up as he whispered, "Water Tribe..."

 **Yeah, I was watching a little too much Deadpool while writing this chapter. And Jacksepticeye. And Markiplier. And Fullmetal Alchemist. And Fairy Tail. And- okay, you've already stopped reading, byyeeeee.**


	6. Chapter 6: The Great Divide

**Here we are. The Great Divide. *sighs* Let's get this over with.**

 **Just to have it straight, I don't like this episode. There's no such thing as a bad episode of ATLA, but this is as close as they get, the worst of the best. Aang acted very out of character and it always kills me how ridiculous it all feels when you know how wonderful the show usually is. I actually seriously considered skipping this altogether, but I figured the characters needed everything they could get to get the characters to have more bonding. Especially with what I'm about to do... *evil cackling as I steal straws from fast food restaurants***

 **AngelicaWasTaken- Thank you so much! It means a lot to have support from you guys, and knowing I'm not just writing for myself makes it so much more fulfilling.**

 **Mogor- Here's your update, my bro!**

 **KnightOwl- Bless you, my faithful friend.**

Chapter 6: The Great Divide and the Neutral

It had only been a day since they'd left the Freedom Fighters.

Leaving Jet's mess and the town they'd saved, Aika had forgotten about the lack of bandages currently on her arm. Most of the way, she'd had her arms folded behind her head, eyes closed as she contemplated whether it was possible to kill water as the lakes and rivers passed beneath them, Aang interrupted her thoughts, calling over his shoulder. "I think we should set down for the night- Appa's getting tired."

Sitting up, she agreed loudly to be heard over the wind, "It's almost sunset, so the big guy deserves some rest after flying nonstop all day." Looking over the edge, she raised her hand to her eyes, looking toward the falling sun, not realizing what was missing.

Katara's eyes widened at seeing her arm's red color, reaching out to touch. "Aika, you're hurt!"

Aika immediately thought of every cuss word she knew as she put her hand behind her back. "It's nothing."

Sokka frowned. "What's going on?"

Katara's brow creased in worry, the girl scooting toward Aika, the half-blood leaning away in reply. "You bandaged that when we were at the prison and it still hasn't healed? Come on, let me take a look."

Aika pulled away, eyes wide. "I'm fine, Katara! It's just an old scar!"

The Waterbender arched an eyebrow at the half-blood. "A scar from your fingers to your elbow?"

Aika nodded sharply, her voice still low and aggressive. "Yes, now please just drop it!"

Katara's eyes filled with worry and hurt, pulling away from Aika's anger, Sokka giving her an annoyed, aggravated look. "What's up with you? If it's 'just a scar,' why are you getting so touchy?"

Aika roughly growled, "It's just a bad reminder of the past, alright? Now leave me alone already!"

Silence reigned, slightly interrupted by the wind rushing past. Sokka, still as skeptical as ever, felt distrust rising in his throat again- why was Aika hiding something from them? Katara however was glancing away, obviously upset with how Aika was pushing them away, sadness filling her eyes that she wouldn't trust them fully.

Aika simply glared off into the distance, lips curled into a distasteful scowl, her annoyance evident, though the couldn't see what she didn't show- her own anguish. _'The only way to recover your dignity is to kill him, Aika.' 'You're worthless until you can complete this task. Until then, you aren't one of us.'_

Lowering her head, Aika's left hand closed around her right wrist, the lightning-like scar still seeming to retain the same heat from when it was first etched into her arm. _I have to do this. I have to regain my honor._

Aang, too far forward to have heard most of the argument over the strong winds, turned his head back to Aika's yell, asking obliviously, "Is something wrong?"

A three-way staring contest ensued, all three in the saddle looking between themselves, the tension in the air seeming to block out the wind for a moment, their eyes conveying to one another the frustration they all felt.

Aang, hearing no response, turned around with a slight frown. "Guys? Are you okay?"

Aika, never breaking gaze with Sokka, calmly called up to him, "Yeah, everything's fine. Just set down soon, kid."

Aang, picking up on the conflict, turned back with a concerned frown. "Are you sure? You sound angry."

Aika grit her teeth, forcing her tone to go into a monotonous state. "We're fine, you idiot. Just take us down before we reach the Great Divide."

Aang's ears perked, his attention jumping away from the dark mood. "Great Divide? Are we already that close?"

Aika nodded. "I've been here enough that I know when it's close. Landmarks, the edge of the canyon on the horizon; it's easy enough to tell. It'll take the better part of tomorrow to cross, and there's no way we're spending a night down there."

Aang shrugging, Appa nearing the ground. "If you say so, but what's so bad about the canyon?"

Aika deadpanned, nose crinkling in distaste. "Canyon crawlers. They're like giant little pests, they're attracted to food. If you have any at all, they'll swarm over you."

Aang gave a sharp nod of agreement as they came to a rough stop on the ground. "I guess we'd better make it over tomorrow." Hopping off his bison in a flurry of air, he hugged Appa with a grin, praising the animal as Aika slunk off the saddle, dropping down to the ground. Rubbing her scarred arm, she called over her shoulder, "I'll go see if I can find some food. We're starting to run low again." And with that, she was gone, disappearing into the treeline.

Sokka crawling down Appa's side, he dropped down to the ground, Katara close behind him. Aang looked over to them, asking, "What were you fighting about?"

Sokka, eyes narrowed at the bushes where Aika had disappeared, arms crossed cynically. "Aika has a giant scar on her arm, and wouldn't even let us look. She said it was a 'reminder of the past.' What is she hiding from us?"

Katara's lips tightened, worry still overriding the suspicion growing in her chest. "We all have bad memories, guys. Maybe Aika's just not feeling ready to share with us yet."

Sokka insisted, "She should be able to trust us! How can we trust her if she won't even let us see what happened?"

Aang frowned, looking to the ground. "Maybe we should just trust her regardless. I mean, it's not like she knows everything about us. We should give her some space."

Sokka sighed. "Yeah yeah, it's just I think that she's lying to us, and if I've learned anything, it's that my instincts lead me the right way, most of the time."

Katara cracked a smile, nudging her brother. "Yeah, _most_ of the time. Like when you lead us into a Fire Nation camp?"

"That was one time!"

Aang let out a laugh, smiling. "See? Back to normal!"

Katara responded with a matching smile, saying, "I'm going to go get some wood for the fire. Sokka, mind putting up the tent?"

The boy nodded, climbing back up to the saddle and pulling it down. "I'll have it ready in a minute!"

Everyone scattering their different ways, a short squabble between the Water Tribe siblings broke out, the fire started by the time Aika returned with a sharpened stick, five fish speared on the wood. With a convincing smirk, she tried to put up a more friendly face, hoping not to let them see how she truly felt. "You'd all better be hungry, because I almost fell into the river for your dinner!"

Katara laughed, Sokka's eyes glittering at the sight of meat. "Dinner!"

The corner of Aika's lip tugged upward, she chuckled a bit. "Since you're so ecstatic about food, I'll leave cooking to you." Handing over the stick, Katara couldn't help but notice that the sleeves of her shirt were gone, her scarred arm now wrapped in the same dark green fabric. Still, she didn't push it. She had faith that Aika would tell them when she was ready.

Seating herself next to Katara, Sokka quickly cooked the fish to perfection, the girls each chopping down a fish, Aang doing the same as Sokka devoured the final two. Despite all of Aang's playfulness and Sokka's jokes, it was a rather calm night as they set down for the night.

They woke up quickly as the dawn rose, packing and quickly reloading onto Appa's back. By the time the sun was just brushing the horizon, they were already flying through the air, a giant gorge appearing in front of them.

Aang immediately grinned, pulling Appa down to the edge of the gorge. "Come on, let's get a closer look!"

Aika yelled into the wind, "A _look!_ I'm not going down there!"

They quickly landed, Aang, Sokka, and Katara hopping off to admire the view from the cliff's edge overlooking the Great Divide, the chasm extending farther than the eye could see. A grab-bag of valleys, cliffs, plateaus, and sharp slopes made up the tan and orange expanse.

Aang introduced, "Here it is, guys! The Great Divide!"

Katara, eyes wide and hair fluttering behind her in the breeze, gushed in awe, "Wow... I could just stand here and look at it forever."

Sokka cut in, "Okay. I've seen enough."

He turned away and walked toward Appa, Aika calling from Appa's saddle, "Sokka's got the right idea, guys! The canyon is nothing but trouble! You'll have a great view of it as we cross by bison."

Katara inquired, "How can you two not be fascinated? This is the largest canyon in the entire world!"

Sokka dryly responded, "Then I'm sure we'll be able to see pretty clearly from the air as we fly away."

As Aika opened her mouth to respond, a voice, male and gruff, cried out behind them. "Hey, if you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first!" A boy in clean white and yellow robes rushed toward Katara and Aang, nearly knocking over Sokka as he pushed past.

Katara, oblivious to the man's obvious annoyance, blissfully cooed. "Canyon guide? Sounds informative!"

The cleanly boy quickly insisted, "Believe me, he's more than a tour guide! He's an Earthbender, and the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help! And he's taking my tribe across next!"

As the boy angrily ranted, Sokka had begun mockingly imitating him, opening and closing his hand to signify the boy's yammering as he made faces- that is, until the boy looked at him, Sokka immediately avoiding eye contact. Sokka attempted to pretend that hadn't happened, walking back over to Katara and Aang. "Calm down, we know you're next."

The boy didn't calm down. "You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation destroyed _your_ home and forced _you_ to flee!"

Aika, eyes lidded and slightly annoyed, effectively hid the compassion she felt for the boy's predicament. "Wow, no one else here could possibly understand what you're feeling right now."

The boy ignored her, gesturing to the canyon. "My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se!"

Katara realized, "You're a refugee!"

The boy scoffed. "Tell me something I don't know."

Aang and Katara shared a sidelong look as Aika dropped down from Appa's saddle, looking over the boy. "Wait a second, are you from the Gan Jin clan? You're robes are way too clean to be a Zhang."

The boy scoffed. "How dare you insinuate I'm one of those barbarians!"

Aika rolled her eyes. "Yep, definitely Gan Jin. Got it." Laying back in the saddle, she slid onto her back, looking up at the sky with annoyance. She listened in irritation to the boy's complaint to the arrival of the Zhang tribe, maintaining her complete detachment from the situation until the rumbling of rocks managed to draw her attention. Sitting up, someone she could only assume was the canyon guide had levitated a pile of rocks away, now proudly announcing, "Sorry about the wait, youngsters! Who's ready to cross this here canyon?"

Aika waved a hand to the Gan Jin boy and the Zhang tribe, calling, "One of them, we'll be flying."

The Gan Jin boy rushed forward, insisting, "I was here first! My party is on their way as we speak!"

Aika, taking in the old man in his lime and forest green clothes and straw hand, listened as the man simply answered, "I can't guide people who aren't here."

As the Zhangs moved for the guide, Aika leaned down in the saddle, obviously annoyed as she spoke down to the rest of the group. "Guys, we should get out of here while we can. Clan rivalries in the Earth Kingdom can get really nasty, especially when between two clans like the Gan Jin and Zhangs."

Sokka, bypassing her advice and instead focusing on details, asked, "You know about them?"

Aika sighed. "Obviously, dimwit. I've been wandering the Earth Kingdom all of my life. Now, why don't we just-"

The newly arrived Gan Jin's argument with the Zhangs escalated, angry yelling cutting off Aika's pleas. Katara turned to Aang, asking, "Well, Aang? Ready to put your peace-making skills to the test?"

Aang nervously answered, "I don't know... A fight over chores is one thing. These people have been at war for over one hundred years."

Aika interjected, "And that's exactly why we should leave! They don't want us in their business, and if they could've gotten over this feud, then they would've already."

Still, the arguing grew louder, Aang warily admitting, "This is bigger than me, but I have to try."

Katara immediately caught on, stepping forward as Aika groaned and laid on her back in the saddle with an irritated glare at the clouds. The Waterbender announced, "Everyone, listen up! This is the Avatar, and I'm sure if you give him a chance, he can find a compromise that will work for everyone!"

The yelling hushing, Aang timidly suggested, "Well, you could share the Earthbender and travel together?"

The Gan Jin's elder furiously refused, "Absolutely not! We'd rather be captured by the Fire Nation than travel with those stinking thieves!"

The Zhang woman shot back, "We wouldn't travel with you pompous fools anyway!"

Jeering and fighting building up, Aika let out a sigh as Aang burst out, "Alright, here's the deal! You'll all go down together and Appa will fly your sick and elderly across! Does that seem fair?"

The two tribe leaders gave hesitant nods as Aika's eyes jolted fully open again, the girl dropping down. "Uh, Aang? _Did you entirely forget what I said about the canyon?!"_

Aang apologized, "Sorry, but we have to help these people!"

Aika scoffed. "No, you don't. You're the Avatar Aang, not everyone's referee."

Aang glanced away, feet shifting in the light dirt. "I was missing for a hundred years, Aika. I have to make up for what I've missed. You can go across with Appa, you know."

Aika wanted to say yes. She really, really wanted to. Yet... there was something holding her back. _Damn it... I'm starting to get soft. I need to stop this pathetic nonsense before I find Zhao. I can't lose to him again!_

"I'll come into the canyon, but I want you to remember that I said not to, and when this gets bad, I want 'I told you so' rights."

Aang chuckled a bit. "You're free to say it all you want, but I don't think it'll be too horrible."

Aika glanced to the two clans warily. "... If you say so."

It wasn't long before they'd helped some ten elderly Gan Jin and wheezing Zhangs into the sky bison's saddle, Aika looking after the bison with regret. "... I've made a horrible mistake."

Sokka patted her shoulder sympathetically. "We all have."

The Earthbender announced, "Okay, here comes the bad news! No food in the canyon- it attracts dangerous predators!"

As the two clans hollered in outrage, Aika muttered under her breath about "creepy crawlers" and words that made Aang discreetly cover his ears.

Responding to the dismay of his tourists, the Earthbender taunted, "Aw, you babies can go a day without food! Would you rather be hungry, or dead?" Pulling his arms up from his hips to his chest quickly, he summoned a pillar of stone twice as high as he stood before. Hands cupping his mouth, he yelled, "Now, we're headin' down in ten minutes! All food should be in your gut or in the garbage!"

Aika had already eaten a roll, Sokka and Katara splitting the last one at Aang's insistence. The Zhangs brutally tearing into their food, the Gan Jin's eating slowly and carefully, the guide pointed to the canyon. "Let's go, girlies!"

Aika grumbled a long string of well-worded insults under her breath as she slung a pack onto her shoulder, golden flecks in her green eyes almost orange against the canyon's red.

The Gaang descending right behind the guide, the Gan Jin took up the rear in their slow, careful steps as they slowly walked down a path alongside the canyon's edge. Coming to a cliff, the guide quickly made a bridge connecting to where the rest of the path continued.

Aang complimented, "Nice bending!"

The guide replied, "This job is more than bending- people want information!" Turning to the group, he proclaimed, "You all are probably wondering how canyons are formed. Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved by earth spirits, who were angry at local farmers for not making the correct sacrifices to them!"

A rumbling up above them, a pile of rocks came tumbling downward, the guide quickly deflecting them with a laugh. "Guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you brought the right sacrifices!"

Their walk continuing, Aika stared worriedly at the bottom. "He's freaking insane."

Katara pointed out, "But he's getting us across."

It was a quiet walk to the bottom, the Earthbender flinging a boulder to destroy the path they'd taken after them once they'd safely reached the bottom. Aang inquired as to why he'd done so, yet Aika's attention was grabbed by something different. In the dust cloud from the boulder's impact, something massive was moving, right by Aang and the guide. Racing toward them, she yelled, "Behind you!"

Yet just as the Earthbender turned, a hairy leg reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder, lifting him into the air. Aang quickly swung his staff, clearing away the dust to show an enormous, spider-like monster. Four hairy legs with clawed toes, its long abdomen was coated in thick black fur, its many red eyes glared around with the canyon guide now clutched between its fangs. Swinging the guide around, Sokka yelled and threw his boomerang, the weapon bouncing uselessly off the monster's head, yet annoyed it enough to drop the guide and rush at Sokka.

Aika snatched the back of Aang's shirt, pulling him out of the creature's way as it rushed forward, hissing and spitting as it quickly chased Sokka through the canyon. Katara rushed to her brother's aid, pulling the water from her pouch and whipping the monster's face, yet it seemed completely unaffected by the action. Snapping forward at her, Aang rushed forward, swiping his staff with a gust of air that sent the crawler spinning backwards, yet coming right back at him.

The Avatar quickly began to turn his staff in a circular motion, the end pointed at the monster as a cyclone formed, quickly picking up the monster and tossing it into the side of the canyon. The creature gave one last hiss, clinging to the wall before it crawled into one of the many cracks in the canyon wall.

Aang turned to the others, eyes wide. "What was that?"

Aika glared after the monster, standing above the canyon guide. "Canyon crawlers. I think this is the point where I'm allowed to say I told you so."

Katara quickly knelt at the man's side, taking quick stock of his condition. "Your arms... they're both broken."

The guide fussed, "Without my arms, I've got no bending! In other words..."

Aang looked around in horror. "We're trapped in this canyon."

As Katara began to splint and sling the guide's arms, Sokka demanded, "I thought the point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers."

Aika crossed her arms, glaring at the two tribes. "Well, I'm guessing someone decided they didn't need to listen."

It took the Gan Jin leader half a second to pounce on the opportunity to accuse the Zhangs, the ensuing argument of no interest to Aika, the impure instead deeming to completely tune out the fighting, looking at the canyon wall.

 _No Earthbending to get us in or out. Maybe Aang could fly us out one by one, but I'm not sure if he has the strength. There's at least thirty of us... Damn, I wish I could use weapons of some sort. At least then, I could maybe have something to help us get up. I mean, the Fire Nation Rough Rhino troupe has a chain-user. Why couldn't I be a badass with metal links of freaking death? No fighting style I've picked up works against the crawlers... So I'm essentially useless down here, unless some other idiot humans are down here I'll need to fight._ Her eyes turned back to the two clans, yet she quickly dismissed the thought. Even these idiots wouldn't be dumb enough to pick a fight with each other or anyone with the Avatar. No, it was nothing but crawlers down here.

The Zhangs going around one side of a long wall, the Gan Jins on the other, Aang looked to his friends. "That should keep them from fighting for now, but we need to find out why they're fighting at all. Sokka, you go with the Zhangs. Katara, you're with the Gan Jins. Aika-"

"Count me out," Aika quickly shut him down, arms crossed and chin in the air stubbornly.

Aang frowned. "What?"

"Count me out of your plan. I've told you before Aang, I don't get in the middle of fights that aren't my business. I'm a neutral, like you're supposed to be."

Aang tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about? I am neutral."

Aika pointed out, "You say as you try to meddle in isolated clan affairs and find out about the past so you can choose a side." Before Aang could even answer, she started walking behind the Zhangs, slowing her usual pace to keep distance between them. "If you really wanna play the usual Avatar game, don't mess with it. Just back off and let them sort out their own troubles."

Aang watched Aika for a moment, worry creasing his brow as Katara soothed, "It's alright, Aang. You're doing the right thing, keeping balance and making peace. Aika's just a bit of a pessimist."

Aang slowly nodded. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Still, he couldn't shake what she had said. _If I'm the Avatar, do I keep balance by stopping the fighting, or... or do I just let them figure it out?_

* * *

It was a taxing walk until sundown, everyone ready to pitch their tents and rest by the time the rambling canyon guide announced this was the best campsite. The Gan Jin pitching their camp a good valley away from the Zhang, you could barely see the firelight of one camp from the other. However, Aang and Aika had split off from the rest, settling down together on a small, rocky hilltop. Aika had eagerly tossed down her sleeping roll, yet Aang could only longingly look out at the campfires.

As Aika straightened out her bedroll, Aang sullenly remarked, "It sure would be nice to be around one of those campfires. Telling stories, laughing..."

Aika sighed. "It's hard being a neutral, Arrows. Sometimes, it's harder to stay out of a fight than to get into one."

Aang didn't even move his longing gaze from the fires. "Yeah... I just don't know what to do."

Aika, looking up at the boy, huffed with a hint of annoyance, yet she still seemed sympathetic. "You know, I could start a fire for us up here, maybe exchange a story or two. Sure, there's not a whole tribe of people, but it's something."

Aang brightened a bit. "Yeah, that sounds awesome!"

Aika cracked a smile, rummaging in her bag until she pulled out a set of spark stones, Aang having quickly pulled together a small pile of brush. Aika sparked up a fire, the two sitting cross-legged opposite from each other. Aika smirked, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I guess I'll go first. Hmm... Well, I could tell you about my stint as a pirate."

Aang grinned. "That sounds awesome!"

"Well, you know a good chunk of it, but I can tell you about one of my first escapades with them. I think it was the second time we pulled into port after I'd stowed away. Gara had already found me out, but I was made a temporary crew member as long as I could help them make money." Suddenly, Aika's lips were twisted in a sly smile. "So, I decided I would make them more money than they'd ever made in a day before. I couldn't only thieve enough in a day, so I instead came up with a better plan. I put on a show in the middle of the town market where I danced for anyone who would throw me a coin." She burst out laughing, Aang giving her an odd look as the sly grin seemed to grow.

"And then, just when the market was shutting down for the night, I made a challenge. I lifted my bag of gold and I said that anyone who could beat me in a fight could take it all, but anyone who lost would have to give me the same amount as what was in the bag. I fought probably six guys that day, and when I started out that fight with ten gold coins, I ended the day with four hundred in gold. I would've had more, but a few of them were short of the money."

Aang was smothering giggles, hugging his stomach as he couldn't hold back his laughter. "That's hilarious! I didn't know you could dance!"

Aika's smile was suddenly a lot more awkward. _Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit, shit, shit shit-_ "I'm not that good. I only made ten gold in a whole day, after all." Clearing her throat, she quickly moved on, "So, your turn."

Aang grinned, latching onto the chance to share quickly. "Have you ever been to Omashu?"

Aika snorted. "Yeah, the town of the mad king."

"Yeah, Bumi! He was my best friend a hundred years ago!"

Aika seemed to develop a sudden knot in her throat, clearly it awkwardly. "Oh wow, he's..."

Aang let out a chuckle. "A hundred years ago, we used to slide down the mail system all the time! I went back a few weeks ago, just before you joined our team. He reminded me how to think like him with a bunch of crazy challenges, like getting a key from a waterfall or fighting him."

Aika smirked. "I like the moral of my story better."

The two looked at each other for a moment before they both burst out laughing.

Aang, stomach rumbling, looked back to Aika. "I'm going to eat a pile of lechee nuts when we get out of here."

Aika snorted. "Speak for yourself, I like something a little hotter. Maybe the next town over will have some _real_ heat for me."

The two laughed at their own hunger, Aang yawning after a minute, Aika admitting, "It's late, Arrows. We should get some rest for tomorrow."

Aang nodded, interweaving and twisting his hands, using air to lift a pile of dirt, dropping it on the fire, the flames quickly puttering low to barely existent cinders. "Goodnight, Aika."

Aika laid back, smirking to the moon like she'd told it a joke. "Night, Arrows."

Aang quickly fell asleep, the cinders of the fire glowing warmer and starting to grow again. Aika glared at the slowly reigniting weeds, reaching out her non-bandaged hand and closing it into a fist, the cinders darkening immediately.

* * *

It didn't take long for the Zhangs and the Gaang to pack up, though a little annoyance was aimed at the Gan Jin's pickiness in packing techniques. It was another long day of walking, Aika walking the ridge with the Earthbender and Aang above the two tribes throughout the day. The sun was luckily blotted out by clouds occasionally, yet it couldn't take away from the heat of the day.

If anyone had asked, Aika would've said it took an eternity to get across the canyon. When the guide announced they'd almost reached the other side, it was a relief she'd rarely felt before. Aang hung back for a moment to speak with their friends, Aika falling behind as well.

The young Avatar asked, "Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?"

Katara seriously answered, "I don't think so, Aang, the Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb."

Aang frowned, obviously confused. "What are you talking about?

Sokka agreed, "Yeah Katara, what are you talking about? Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin."

Katara shot back, "Not punished enough if you ask me."

Aika interjected, "Guys, you've gotten pulled into this private feud! Who cares what some guys one hundred years ago did? Especially to you two, who aren't involved with those old geezers anyway!"

Katara still stubbornly insisted, "Because these people deserve to have the truth!"

Sokka retorted, "Yeah, about how Wei Jin was wrongly imprisoned!"

Aang scowled, stomping his staff in frustration. "Okay, okay I get it! Now I need your help, I need everyone together at the base of the canyon wall."

Aang took off with his glider, quickly landing between the two tribes before any fighting could inevitably break out, Aika and the Water Tribe siblings running after him.

Aang yelled to the crowd, "Please everyone, as soon as we get out of here we can eat and then go our separate ways, but I need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff."

The Gan Jin leader sneered, "Maybe the Zhang can climb the wall with their long disgusting fingernails."

The Zhang woman scoffed, voice dripping sarcasm as she replied, "Oh sorry, I forgot that to the Gan Jin unclipped fingernails is a crime punishable by twenty years in jail!"

"Why you dirty thief!"

"You pompous fool!"

Arriving just in time to hear this, Katara and Sokka quickly took their own sides, Aika left to facepalm between them all. _One of these days, they'll actually listen to me and it'll be a fucking miracle._

Aang cried out in his frustration. "Guys, focus! How many times do I have to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems, action will!"

The Zhang leader thoughtfully admitted, "Perhaps the Avatar is right."

The Gan Jin elder agreed "Yes, perhaps he is."

It took Aika about half a second to see where this was going, and how fast Aang's smile was about to evaporate.

The woman growled, "Harsh words will _never_ solve our problems."

The Gan Jin leader hissed back, "Action will!"

Both of the tribal leaders drew their swords, Aika quickly stepping away as their weapons clashed and rang, Aang yelping at the sudden violence.

The Gan Jin man announced, "To the death! And let this be the end of this rivalry!"

Aang weakly suggested, "You know, I take it back. Harsh words aren't so bad!"

Yet Aang was being completely ignored, the two circling with swords still scraping against one another. Exchanging a few blows, Aika snuck around the edge of the fight as one of the woman's pigtails fell off, the Gan Jin man suddenly short a foot of beard.

The half-blood now next to Aang, she asked with a slightly superior tone, "And now I once again get to say 'I told you so.'"

Aang shook his head. "I won't allow this." Stepping forward rapidly, he gave a single swipe with his staff, blasting the members of both tribes. Stumbling away, their bags came loose- along with a stockpile of food from both sides.

Aang, looking around in quiet outrage, asked in awe, "Is that ... food? Everyone smuggled food down here? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day? You're all awful!" Suddenly, at seeing a custard tart, he clutched at his stomach, eyes shining. "So hungry. Is that an egg custard in that tart?"

Aika, who's forehead must've been flame red from all the times her palm had connected, suddenly heard an all-too-familiar hissing sound. "Uh, Aang? Not a big concern right now!" Pointing up the cliffside, over a dozen canyon crawlers were emerging from cracks in the walls, chattering and hissing to one another as they easily navigated down the straight wall to the canyon floor.

Turning, Aang's wide eyes were suddenly filled with less adoration of the tart and more terror of the incoming monsters.

As the creatures began to chase the humans, Katara nervously fretted, "Oh no, that's a lot of canyon crawlers..."

Sokka quickly drew his boomerang, exclaiming, "We barely survived one!"

The canyon guide started hobbling away behind them, screaming, "They're coming back for me! They've had a taste and they're coming back for me!"

Running past him and looking for some way up the cliffside with two canyon crawlers close behind, Aika yelled back, "I doubt it, you salty old bastard!"

Sokka, about to run forward to fight, suddenly found himself held in place by a gentle hand on his arm. Katara's soft voice emerged, despite all the chaos, obviously ashamed. "Sokka, wait. I don't care about this stupid feud, I just want us to get out of here alive."

Sokka agreed, "Me too. I only took their side 'cause they fed me."

Running back to them, Aika clutched a bean roll to her chest with another crawler following her. Biting into the roll, she tossed the rest over her shoulder, two crawlers pausing to fight over it. "And you two jerks couldn't be bothered to share?! I don't get how this friendship shit is supposed to work, but I don't think it's this!"

The three of them running toward Aang, the Avatar seemed to have the situation pretty controlled. A small pile of food had gathered, the crawlers gravitating toward it, every one that came close, Aang blasting into the canyon wall. As a handful of them pounced at him together, he leapt into the air and out of their reach, blasting them from above, yet it could only knock them away. They always stood back up again, shaking it off and coming back just as determined.

Katara and Sokka did their best to play defense for the tribal members, Aika simply grabbing food, waving it around and screaming, and hoping she'd accomplish something. Eventually, she had a herd of eight crawlers chasing her for two bags of food she held, running and dodging around the pillars of rocks throughout the canyon.

Racing past Aang, she handed off a bag, calling, "Use it wisely!"

Aang's answer to this was to announce, "Everyone, watch me and do what I do!"

He pounced on one of the crawlers chasing Aika, slipping the bag over its long snout and quickly settling on its head as if it were a thinner model of Appa. Using the drawstrings of the bag as reins, he began to steer the crawler straight up the canyon wall.

It didn't take long for the idea to catch on. Within another minute, every human had wrangled a crawler, Aika clinging to the back of one with a mumbling canyon guide behind her as they ascended directly up the canyon wall.

In a wave of furry monstrosities, they were up the wall in seconds, the humans ditching their mounts and tossing the last of the food off the cliff's edge, the crawlers chasing after it.

Aika immediately let out a deep breath as she flopped onto her back with eyes closed, completely ready for a peaceful few hours of riding Appa. But it wasn't over.

The Zhang woman turned to the Gan Jin elder, smirking. "I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that."

The man replied grudgingly, "And I never knew you Zhangs were so reliable in a pinch."

"Perhaps we're not so different after all."

Aang dared to hope as the two shared a small smile, that hope quickly shattered.

The man drew his sword once more, sliding into a stance. "Too bad we can't rewrite history. You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!"

The Zhang leader yelled back, "You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!"

And that was it. Aika's eyes shot open, she pushed to her feet, and she stomped in between them, all within the span of a few seconds. Aang knew forevermore, the way Aika yelled that day would haunt him forever.

 _"That's enough!_ I've put up with you idiots fighting for an entire day, and it's not even for _a good reason!_ I mean, you all are letting events from decades ago ruin your lives! Who cares if Win Jei or Jizz Pay took an orb? You idiots are just holding onto things that need to be let go of! Tell me, what impact does this have on your life? Did you lose something dear to you because of this ridiculous past?" When no answer came, she then inquired with angry demand, "And exactly how much of your lives have you lost to this stupid feud?! Now, you can either stop fighting, and realize that nothing that these guys a hundred years ago is hurting you now, or you can waste days and years you could spend with your family instead bickering over a _fucking ball!"_

The Gan Jin and Zhang were completely silent, the Gaang staring at her in shock and awe. Aika let out a few angry breaths before simply walking away, calling over her shoulder, "I'm going to go get Appa. If I come back and you're fighting, I'm shoving every one of you back into the Divide!"

Disappearing into the trees, Aang laughed nervously as he started, "Ha ha... Aika's such a joker, I mean-"

 _"A ball?"_ The Gan Jin leader spoke through grit teeth.

The Zhang woman scowled. "Impact on our lives?!"

The two leaders glared off for a few, tense seconds, the remaining Gaang unsure of what to do.

The woman sighed. "Maybe... Maybe we have been overdramatic."

The Gan Jin slowly nodded. "Perhaps... We dwell on the past and limit our future."

The woman made eye contact for a moment before quickly back-pedaling, "That doesn't mean you wimpy Gan Jins are forgiven!"

The Gan Jin leader scoffed. "The same goes for you filthy ruffians. But... perhaps we could _consider_ the idea of a truce at the least."

The woman nodded in response. "Only consideration, old man."

The two continued this passive aggressive argument as they walked off, their tribes filtering out behind them, leaving the Gaang in a completely shell-shocked condition. Another half hour later, and Appa came stomping in, Aika sitting on his head. Much calmer now, she called, "Where'd Clan Dumb and Clan Dumber go?"

Aang slowly responded, "They... listened to you."

Aika snorted. "Sure they did. I probably just prolonged their arguments. Still, they're not our problem anymore. Now get on the bison, guys. I got the old people out of here, so we can get on our way to the North Pole now."

Aika quickly gave up her spot on Appa's head to Aang, the boy asking, "How did you do that? I mean, they never listened to me!"

Aika shook her head. "They did, Aang. It's just that sometimes, people like them can sometimes take a bit more than inspirational words, and you simply weren't willing to use the harsh words to get all the way through. Still, like I said, they'll be back to fighting in a week." Giving Aang a small smile, she chuckled. "But hey, maybe because of you, they'll stick to harsh words instead of action."

Aang laughed, the Water Tribe siblings jumping into the joke, their laughter picking up as Appa lifted off.

Still, Aika couldn't shake the irony of her words. _Let go of the past... One of these days, I'll be able to. Soon, I'll let go. And I'll let you go too, Zhao. Forever._

 **Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Storm

**"The Storm." Wow, we got here waaaay faster than I thought we would. It just kind of... crept up on me, and once I got here, I simply couldn't help myself. This has been praised as one of the best episodes due to the backstory revelation, so what am I going to do? Well, what else? Well, I'll give you a LITTLE backstory revelation! Yaaaaaay! Oh, I can already see my little corner in hell. But don't worry, next chapter will be... let's say "interesting," but make those quotation marks a lot bigger.**

 **LapisLazuliRose- Thank you so much! I'll try to keep it fantastic!**

 **KnightOwl- It was an important episode to his journey, I simply didn't like how they handled the "Great Divide." I'm so glad you picked up on the parallels between them, since it'll be pretty important later on! Thank you so much for always supporting me- it really means a lot!**

 **Anonymous- Aw, you're going to make me blush! Don't worry, the foundation of the pairing will be set soon, though the shipping itself won't come into play until next season, though I can promise some low-key friendship stuff through this season. Thank you for your review!  
**

 **Serendipitymadness- Don't worry, I'll keep going until we reach the end! Thank you!**

 **Znkp- Thank you for your review!**

Chapter 7: The Storm

It was a calm next few days of flying. Little to no trouble, it seemed the constant stream of excitement that usually followed them seemed to have stemmed, the worst thing happening now being Aang's nightmares. They hadn't even seen a glimpse of Zuko's ship throughout the days, the quiet relaxing- yet unsettling. A calm before a storm.

The first gathering clouds showed in the middle of the night a week after leaving the Great Divide, the Gaang asleep around their now ember-less camp fire on a sandy beach. Aika lying on her roll, the the Water Tribe siblings snuggled into their furred sleeping bags, Aang simply curled up against his bison, Momo curled up on his chest. It was calm until Aang woke with a jolted gasp, Momo jumping up in surprise and hopping across the others heads in response. Aika jumping to her feet with a wild look in her eyes and a confused fighting stance, Katara sat up with a surprised yelp and Sokka yawned, raising his toothed-knife in one hand and boomerang in the other. "Wh-at's happening? Did we get captured again?"

Aika's chest rising and falling rapidly with panicked breath, she started to calm down at seeing no immediate danger. "Not to my knowledge, Ponytail."

Aang answered, "It's nothing, I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."

Sokka mumbled a response as he curled back up in his bag, Aika slowly sitting down but adrenaline still too fresh to lay back yet.

Katara asked with concern, "Are you alright, Aang? You've been having a lot of nightmares lately. You want to tell me about it?"

Aang, laying back and on his side with his back to Katara, responded unconvincingly, "I think I just need some rest."

Sokka suddenly sat up again, seemingly fully awake. "You guys wanna hear about my dream?"

No one responded for a minute before Aika's sarcasm-ridden drawl encouraged, "Sure, it'll probably help me fall asleep."

Sokka wrinkled his nose, lips pursed in a pout as he laid back down, Katara with him. "Fine. I didn't want to talk about it anyway."

Still, Aika spend another hour awake, frowning at the stars. _Nightmares... Huh. It's been awhile since I've had one. At least it means I'm moving on in my mind, even if my hands still have work to do._ She raised a hand to the sky, holding it so it seemed to cup the half-moon.

 _I'm coming for you, Zhao. And I promise, when I destroy you, you'll see me coming and you'll know that it's over._

* * *

The next morning, it was quick packing up, their packs quickly put into place in the saddle. Sokka organizing the saddle itself while Katara and Aika tossed up the packs, Aang sat on Appa's head as the bison yawned loudly.

"Look at those clear skies, buddy! It should be some smooth flying!"

Katara, flipping their food bag and finding it completely bare, responded, "Well, we'd better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food."

Katara climbing into the saddle as Aika threw up the last pack, Sokka suddenly protested, "No, guys! We shouldn't go to the market, it was in my dream?"

Aika sighed as she crawled up Appa's shaggy leg. "This should be good."

Katara worriedly asked, "Why? What happened in your dream?"

Sokka whispered, "Food eats people! Also, Momo could talk!" Looking with wounded eyes at the lemur, he sounded... close to tears? "You said some very unkind things!"

Aika snorted as she sat down in the saddle. "Excuse me while I go toss the last leechee nut overboard."

* * *

It was a short flight to the nearest town, Katara gravitating straight to the nearest market, the others begrudgingly following. As she delicately picked through a melon-vendor's stocks, Aika was looking around with cautious eyes, gaze seeming to follow anyone who's pockets bulged. "Katara, how about we don't pick out food until we have money?"

The angry woman managing the stand quickly snatched back her fruits, giving Sokka a swift kick in the rear as they left for the docks. Rubbing the sore spot, Sokka whined, "Out of food, out of money- now what are we supposed to do?"

Aika rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, I'll scrounge up some money and-"

"No," Aang looked seriously at Aika, brown eyes surprisingly stern. "You aren't going to steal anything, Aika."

The half-blood snorted, crossing her arms. "Who ever said I was going to?"

Katara admitted, "It was pretty obvious what you meant."

Sokka agreed, "Yeah, it's kind of your thing."

Aika huffed, prompting, "Then what exactly do you think we should do, O Wise Ones?"

Katara smirked and nudged her brother. "Sokka could actually get a job."

Aika shook her head. "Have fun with that. I'll go get us some coin." As Aang opened his mouth to argue, she cut in, "And I promise I won't steal, alright? Jeez, you guys. Have a _little_ faith, please?" Walking off, she wandered her way into the market, looking around with a sharp eye.

 _Okay, time to find a heavy-pocketed fool who will glance the other way._

Walking the streets, it took her only a few seconds to pick out a victim. A fairly young man in white and yellow robes, she could see that his pockets were slightly heavier than others, clinking gently with his steps, a basket of groceries swinging in his hand. Taking a deep breath she felt a small smile grace her lips as she subtly veered his way. Looking around and trying to put a wide-eyed, lost look in her eyes and took her opening as the boy inspected a few fruits in his basket, Aika crashed right into him, the boy stumbling back as she over-exaggerated falling to her knees.

Looking up, she'd knocked the boy's fruits from his basket, a few apples rolling across the ground. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I should've been looking where I was going-"

The boy knelt across from her in a flustered manner, nervously insisting, "No, it was my fault. Are you hurt?" He reached out to her arm worriedly, brow creased.

Aika gave a small, embarrassed smile, not having to fake the latter. She hated putting on these charades, though she wished it was for different reasons. _Damn it, you're a thief! Stop sympathizing with the people you rob!_ "No, it was my fault. I got so caught up in looking for my friends, I forgot to look where I was going. Here, let me help." Picking up an orange and replacing it in his basket, the boy returned a smile and joined her. Aika took her chance, reaching for an apple next to him, fingers snaking into his pocket first. Snagging a coin between each finger, she carefully pulled out three coins and grabbed the apple she'd reached for in the first place, keeping the coins clenched in her palm.

The fruits cleaned up, the boy stood, offering his hand to help her up, Aika accepting out of sheer pride in the three gold coins now slipped into her own pocket. "I'm sorry again. Is there anything I can do?"

Aika shook her head with a smile. "No no, it's fine. Thank you for your help, though."

"Are you sure? I feel guilty..." The boy offered her an apple, still smiling. "Here, this is the least I can do. Don't worry, I was just paid, I have plenty of money, and I was just bringing a bit of fresh fruit to my village."

And just like that, Aika suddenly turned pure white. _Wait, how close am I? We're near the colonies... No no, please no... I'm overreacting. Just because it's a village, doesn't mean it's hers._ Still, she had to know. Slowly, she accepted the apple, asking, "So, your village? Where are you from?"

The boy pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, inland and away from the water. "A little place called Chong village." As Aika's throat finally seemed to unravel, he continued, "You might know a bigger town near it better- the people there call it New Tetsu."

And suddenly Aika couldn't stop her hands from shaking, fingers losing so much control the apple quickly slipped from her fingers. "I-I need... go..." And with that she ran, feet catching on the stones causing her to stumble, yet she kept going, panic mounting in her chest. The boy yelled after her, yet she wouldn't respond, or rather couldn't. Her throat felt like it was being choked out by a pythonaconda, her chest too tight to breathe right. Her breathing shallow and rapid, pupils dilated, she swayed as she ran, yet she ran on and on.

 _I'm sorry... I'm so so sorry..._

She didn't notice she'd stopped. She wasn't even sure why she had, but she felt her ankle twist and suddenly she was on the ground, trees around her. Staring at the branches high above her, she stared blankly at them, questions in her eyes, a pleading she couldn't put to words.

 _I ran right out of town. Huh. I guess that's all I'm good for._

Clouds set in, the beautiful orange leaves suddenly a dull yellow, Aika never moved for hours, just lying under the trees even as the rain started to fall. She simply closed her eyes, the rain pooling over her eyelids.

 _I'm sorry... I wonder if the people around me got so angry with me saying it constantly, I just don't say it anymore._

Everything washed over her with the rain around her, everything seeming to rewind.

* * *

A young girl, bare feet pounding against the paving stones, lanterns lit the thin streets, illuminating her light skin and un-blemished arms. Black hair completely loose, she'd brushed it away as if to proudly display the notch in her ear, a grin stretched across her face as she ran through the streets, dodging around the citizens going about their lives. Her simple green shirt and shorts, a tattered red sash around her waist dragging on the ground, were filthy and muddy, the girl obviously having been playing in the plentiful woods around the little town. Running toward the center of the town, she skidded to a stop as she looked around a massive plaza.

Barely one hundred feet across, it seemed to be an ocean of open area to the child, gleaming lanterns hung in a spiderweb over the square. Running to the center, three men already stood tall in the middle, all in Fire Nation armor. Grinning as she ran up to them, she seemed to be holding back a squeal of delight. "Are there really going to be fireworks?!"

One of the soldiers sighed, obviously a Firebender from the white face plate he wore. Pulling it loose, he sported a 5 o'clock shadow of a beard, the annoyance in his eyes making it clear he was used to this girl. "Yes, mutt. Now leave us alone."

The girl begged, "Can you please show me some firebending first? Pleeeeease?"

Another soldier, non-bending and holding a spear, spat, "Beat it, kid! Or we'll put you back to work in the mines!"

The girl huffed with crossed arms. "Fine, meanies!" Turning on her heel and running, she still grinned as she sped off. Her eyes catching on a bit of movement down an alley, she turned to the sound of laughing, racing straight for the sound. Stopping at the mouth of the alley, there was a cluster of kids kicking around a red ball. Seven of them, some in patches of red and some in green, the leader obviously was the shaggy-haired boy who no one seemed to be able to snatch the ball from. A confident smirk, he easily bounced the ball between his legs, arms, and head, never missing a beat as he maneuvered around the other kids easily.

The girl stepped forward, waving excitedly. "Hey! Jet!"

The boy hesitated, a young girl snatching the ball away, though the game quickly petered out without Jet. The young boy arched an eyebrow. "Aika? Why are you muddy?"

Stopping just in front of Jet, rubbing the back of her head bashfully. "I kind of fell in the riverbed on my way back from Fujin."

Jet wrinkled his nose, asking with an annoyed edge to his voice, "Why do you agree to deliver messages for the Fire Nation colonists there? They're not supposed to be in the Earth Kingdom, you know."

Aika spread her hands, seeming unashamed. "They're part of the landscape now, Jet! We should make them feel welcome!"

A boy scoffed behind Jet, rolling his eyes. "You just think that 'cause you're just like 'em."

A girl beside him protested, "Deric!"

Deric shot back, "She's not supposed to be here! My dad says she's only around because her dad deserted the Fire Nation army!"

Aika didn't even seem angry- she simply frowned, almost seeming confused. "Just because I'm a half-blood doesn't mean I don't belong. And Mom says that dad-"

Deric cut in, "No one cares, mutt. What do you even want?"

Aika seemed mildly annoyed, yet the anger and disdain such an insult would later bring wasn't present. "I was just wondering if I could play. You guys were playing Kuai ball, right?"

A younger boy admitted, "We don't have a net, so we're just playing keep away."

Aika brightened, smile returning. "Mind if I join?"

Suddenly, no one would look at her. Some of the younger kids simply looked away, but others looked pointedly at Jet, as if urging him to do something. The shaggy-haired boy cleared his throat, slowly speaking to Aika. "I... Aika, we- uh..." Aika's smile turned to a befuddled frown, Jet no longer able to dodge her eyes. "Okay, you want it straight? We, uh... We can't play with you anymore, Aika."

Her confusion sky-rocketed, looking around as if to find answers in the sidewalk cracks. "But... We've never had trouble before. What changed?"

Jet glared at the sidewalk, plucking a strand of wheat-grass from the cracks and twirling it between his fingers. "Sorry, Aik'. We just can't. Our parents don't want us... well, playing with an impure."

Aika blinked, the confusion never fading, yet a small hint of understanding entering her gaze. "Oh. I-I guess there's not much to do about it." Turning away, she gave another smile as she waved. "See ya later then, guys!"

Yet as she took off running on dirt-stained feet once again, she could hear Deric muttering to Jet, "I don't know why they don't kick the mutt out."

* * *

Aika's eyes shot open at the crack of lightning. Sitting up, she was soaked to the bone, her back coated in mud from the wet dirt. Blinking blearily, water dripping down her face, Aika pushed to her feet, only for her stiff limbs to give out, Aika splashing down to her knees.

 _Come on, you weak idiot. Get up. I've been through worse than this before and I can push past this like it's nothing. I've kept from thinking about home for four years, I've held back every single thought. I'm not about to let them break me now._

Standing slowly, her legs still shook as she pulled herself up, a hand steadying herself against the tree, her body feeling numb except for the block of ice where her heart had been. She'd stayed away, she'd never let herself cry over the loss of everything she'd ever loved. It wasn't going to help her achieve her goal, so she'd pushed it away, locking it out of sight. Yet the dam was starting crack.

Glaring up at the sparks of electricity in the clouds, she growled, "I won't be afraid forever." The lightning crackled and boomed in the sky in disagreement.

"I won't. I'll win!" Her voice cracked at the end, she looked down to the ground, eyes full of desperation as tears barely leaked out the corners of her eyes, mixing with the rain.

 _It's been four years. I haven't been home in four years- I don't think I've even come this close. I've stayed away, always too scared._

She tried to wipe the water from her eyes, yet her dripping hands did very little to help. The rain was falling in curtains, the foliage above her barely a barrier between her and the storm's rage. Looking around, she could see she'd ran all the way up a hill over the city, the lanterns all extinguished by the rain. Squinting at the port, she could see the fisherman's ship was missing, as was Appa. Aika looked around, blinking blearily as she tore her eyes across the coast. It wasn't long before her eyes caught on firelight flickering in a cliffside cave.

"W-Well, let's hope for a bit of luck."

It was a stiff, wet walk, Aika staggering through the hills and to the base of the cliffs. A rocky path at the base of the cliffs, crawling her way up. Throughout the walk, she wouldn't allow herself to think of how it was only a day's walk home. She wouldn't think of that, no matter what.

Breathing heavily, eyelids sagging as she walked into the light of the fire, shielding her eyes with a shaking hand as she stood in the cavern's mouth.

"Aika? You're soaking wet!"

Katara suddenly was next to her, warm hands tugging on Aika's ice cold arms until she was completely out of the rain. Aang sitting next to a small fire, he quickly stood, jumping into the saddle and quickly pulling out a blanket. "What happened to you?"

Aika, Katara pulling her forward until she was next to the fire, absorbing the warmth of the fire happily as Aang tossed the blanket over her shoulders. "What were you thinking, wandering out in this weather?!"

Aika, Katara forcing her to sit down, fought to keep her teeth from chattering. "I-I had to find y-you... I-I saw Appa was gone and knew you h-had left town."

Aang seemed to glance away, Katara picking up and apologizing, "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have left you down there."

Aika tried for a weak smile, using the edge of the blanket to dry off her face. "I-It's alright, Water Girl. I-I'll warm up soon. I-I don't get sick easily."

Aang still didn't seem convinced. "How long were you out there?"

Aika frowned at the fire for a moment, trying to force her ice cube of a brain to concentrate, still fighting off her thoughts from before. _They don't need my problems on theirs. Just keep a straight face and don't let them see what you're thinking._ "Uh... I think since the rain started."

Katara's eyes fluttered in surprise. "You were out there the whole time?! Aika, what were you thinking?"

"N-Not sure I was." Aika's frown remained, numbly wondering why her face still felt so cold.

Katara let out a frustrated sigh, her motherly instincts in overdrive. "Honestly, Aika. You should've just found somewhere to wait the rain- A-Aika?"

Aika turned her confused frown on Katara, the waterbender blinking in shock at seeing two thin streams of water leaking from the corners of her eyes. "Y-You..."

Aika quickly cussed under her breath, wiping away the tears. "S-Sorry. I p-promise, I'm fine. I j-just-"

Aang interrupted, "It's okay, Aika." The half-blood blinking at the young Avatar, the tattooed boy looked to her with a small smile. "You can tell us when you're ready."

Aika had been slowly warming up, yet the heat that rose in her chest now was... different. Somehow, it was even warmer. Katara and Aang sharing a knowing look, her partially functioning brain could at least piece together they'd had a heart to heart while she'd been away.

Katara nodded, a warm hand on Aika's shoulder. "We're here when you need us, Aika."

It wasn't said. It didn't need to be. All it took was a look between the three of them, Aika rubbing her hands together as the three exchanged a weary set of smiles.

 _If this is how it'll be while I'm here, then I wouldn't have it any other way._

It was a calm few minutes, Katara explaining how Sokka had been hired to fish but they'd been rained in by the storm, Aika managing to mostly dry herself off, her clothes still damp by the time a voice rang out beyond the cave entrance.

"Help, help! Oh, please help!"

An old woman in a poncho had found her way up the cliffside path, Katara rushing to usher her inside. "It's alright, you're safe now."

The woman threw back her hood, despairingly responding, "But my husband isn't."

"What do you mean? Where's Sokka?"

"They haven't come back yet! They should've returned by now, and this storm is becoming a typhoon! They're caught out at sea!"

Aang had absolutely no hesitation in standing, determination flowing off him in waves. "I'm going to find them."

Katara quickly assured, "I'm going with you."

The old woman stubbornly sat down, announcing, "I'm staying here!"

Aika pushed to her feet, feeling back in her limbs. "Don't worry Aang. I've got your back too."

Katara didn't seem as convinced as Aika it was a good idea. "Are you sure? You were really shaky when you first came back."

Aika shrugged, the blanket coming off her shoulders. "And now I've warmed up." She didn't need to explain exactly how her damp clothes were already starting to dry off from the inside. After all, they'd all be in the rain again soon. She intended to keep that to herself for as long as possible, no matter how good of friends she made here. _I can't deny they're my friends anymore, but I can keep them from that truth._

Aang promised the woman Katara pulled herself into the saddle, "We'll be back soon." Offering Aika a hand, the two shared a smile as Katara helped her up, Aang airbending his way onto Appa's head, they quickly took off over the sea.

The rain quickly soaked them all, the three fighting to see through the thick rain as Appa flew barely above the water's surface. A massive wave rose above them, Aang trying to navigate away, but Appa couldn't dodge it. Veering straight for it, Aang spun his staff, a sphere of air forming around them, Appa bursting right through the wave without even a drop of the sea touching his fur, Aika trembling for more than one reason now. _No. I can't let this fear rule me. At the very least, I won't let myself be afraid of it until I'm drowning again._ Yet telling herself could only do so much.

It took a few more shivering, desperate minutes before Aang was the one to point forward. "There! The boat!"

Flying toward it, Aika caught sight of something else among the crashing waves- a metal ship, rocking and swaying uncontrollably in the storm. She didn't even need to look to the deck to know who it was, yet she couldn't help but try and hone her eyes in on the royal red of Zuko and Iroh's robes.

It didn't take long for them to disappear among the dark water, Aang still aimed for the first ship, Appa quickly coming to hover directly over the small boat rocking on the waves. Aang dove off without a second thought, Aika lunging for the reins before the wind could tear them away. Aang quickly tossed one end of a rope up to Katara, Sokka and the fisherman holding the other end as Aika pulled Appa up with enough force to yank the two boy straight into the saddle, Aang soaring up on his own.

Yet as Aika handed off the reins to Aang, a wave rose behind them, lifting the boat and rising toward the clouds- higher than they could dodge. With no time to react, the wave crashed down on the bison and they were tumultuously flung through the angry waves.

Most of the Gaang and spare managed to cling to the saddle, Aang slowly drifting from his seat on Appa's head, but Aika had completely lost all logical thought, fingers refusing to function and hold to the saddle as the water still raged beneath the rain and lightning.

Aika curled into a ball, knees to her chest as she drifted farther from the rest of the Gaang, eyes scrunched closed. _If I'm going to die, I'm not going to be cold._ With what little breath was in her lungs, she exhaled as heat seemed to travel through her throat. Bubbles disappearing above her, it was almost calming, ironic as it was.

She didn't even realize she'd broke to the surface of the water until she couldn't hold her breath anymore, gasping in freezing air. Eyes fluttering, her vision was blurry with water as she looked around. She couldn't quite process how she saw Appa circling above or the metal ship directly in front of her. She simply couldn't think straight anymore, arms and legs too numb to even try to stay above the water's surface. Dipping up and down and cold creeping into her body, she wasn't ready for the sudden warmth of an arm around her chest, pulling her out of the water.

Blinking, she looked up, green eyes meeting amber for a moment, confusion seeming to mildly enter her mind. _Fire... There's fire in the eyes._ Yet they quickly disappeared, Aika shivering in the saddle of a sky bison, Aang drying off from his dive down to get her. Katara quickly throwing a blanket around her again, Aika was still trying to reboot her mind from the cold. Aika spoke through chattering teeth, "I-I'm pretty s-sure the rain puddles were w-warmer."

Katara sighed. "For someone who doesn't like water, you seem to get soaked all the time."

"I-If I could control t-the weather, this s-shit wouldn't happen." Glancing around, she had a lot more awareness now, seeing Sokka and the fisherman arguing over who should get more blankets, Aang glancing back worriedly as they soared over the clouds. Looking over the saddle's edge, she could see a ship below them- Zuko's, she knew with the slightest hint of mortification. _Great, a guy who chases us constantly saw me half-drowned and pathetic. Not to mention these guys. Damn it, I'm tired of everyone seeing me this weak._

Yet as she took deep breaths, she felt heat flood from her stomach up through her chest, feeling slowly returning to her limbs, though her fingers and toes remained practically paralyzingly still.

"T-Tetsu." She didn't even realize she'd said it until it was out of her lips. She didn't think she could've said it without her voice shaking, even if she wasn't still so cold.

Katara frowned slightly, looking back to her. "What?"

She didn't know why. She couldn't understand why she said anything. She didn't know why she mentioned anything, yet she found her tongue moving without her consent. "My hometown, Tetsu. I-It's close by, or was. It was burned down four years ago- I haven't been this close since it was destroyed."

Suddenly, even the wailing of the wind and the pouring rain couldn't overcome the sudden silence. Aika couldn't meet their eyes, unable to let their pity meet the shame in her own, simply pulling her knees to her chest and leaning against her knees. _I told no one. I didn't even tell Gara about Tetsu, only Zhao. It... feels like some of the weight dragging me down is gone. It doesn't matter what they think, it just feels good to say it._

A cold hand gently brushed her neck, Aika glancing over to see Katara had sat down next to her, hand snaking to her opposite shoulder and pulling her into a hug. The waterbender softly said, "I'm so sorry, Aika. I promise, we're here for you."

Someone else appeared on her other side, Sokka giving her a reassuring nod with a hand on her shoulder, Aang grinning at them from Appa's head.

Aika glanced between them, lips upturned in the slightest smile. "You know, it's... been a long time since I made friends."

Katara was immediately overjoyed- this was the first time Aika had actually admitted they were friends! She couldn't help but chuckle as she joked, "You only now figured out we're friends?"

Aika's smile twisted into a smirk as she snorted. "You should know by now I'm quick on the draw and slow to figure something out."

Katara laughed softly, releasing Aika, but still sitting next to her, arms brushing, the waterbender slightly worried about how quickly Aika was warming up, as if with a fever- she was already back to regular temperature, the waterbender fighting shivering in the cold air. She'd bent the water from her clothes, yet the thin tunic she wore didn't do much to keep out the cold air or the freezing rain. Warm cloth draped over her shoulder, Katara turned to see Aika had shifted closer to allow the blanket to wrap around both of them. The two sharing a smile, Sokka had gone back to arguing with the fisherman over who should the last two blankets go to, barely considering the idea of having one each.

A short flight later and they were back to the cave, the fisherman's wife immediately racing forward, nearly tackling her husband in a hug, the others stiffly making their way out of the saddle. "Oh, you're alive!" Suddenly holding the husband at arms length, she ordered, "You owe this boy an apology!"

Aang shook his head, softly saying, "He doesn't have to apologize."

Still, the fisherman considered, "What if, instead of an apology, I give him a free fish and we call it even?"

Aang resisted making a face of discomfort. "Actually, I don't eat meat."

Aika snorted. "Speak for yourself, I'm a carnivore."

"Fish ain't meat!"

Sokka cut in, "Seriously, you're still going to pay me, right?"

In response, the fisherman slapped a fish into Sokka's expectant hand, Aika chuckling. "Well, you guys are lucky I'm good at my job." Reaching into her pocket, she was relieved to find her stolen coin still present, pulling them out with a coin between each finger. "Looks like I had a bit more success than Sokka getting a job."

Katara arched an eyebrow. "And what job did you take that got you three gold before the rain started?"

Aika closed her fingers into a fist, slipping the gold back into her pocket. "Do you want the answer you want to hear, or what really happened?"

Katara put her hands on her hips with obvious annoyance. "I thought we said no more stealing."

"And I never said I did! I- I got a job as waitress and got a few good tips in the hour I worked."

The waterbender obviously wasn't convinced, but she let it slide as she caught sight of Aang at the mouth of the cave, staring out over the water. Aika left to watch the bickering between the fisherman and Sokka as Katara came to stand by Aang.

The boy softly said, "Katara, I think you were right before. I'm done dwelling on the past."

Katara gently asked, "Really? "

Aang answered simply, "I can't make guesses about what would have turned out if I hadn't run away. I'm here now and I'm going to make the most out of it."

Katara smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think you're gonna have those nightmares anymore. And if you weren't here now, well, I guess I wouldn't be either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar." At this, Aang smiled contently down at the cave floor.

Sokka, whipping his head to look outside. "Do you hear that? It stopped raining."

Aika playfully punched his arm, joking, "Wow, such a genius."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "You're so clever, aren't you?"

"I'm absolutely brilliant."

Everyone now gathered at the cave's doorway, the sun was starting to emerge from the gray clouds, golden beams illuminating the sky as it slowly turned back to a gentle blue. Yet just as the moment became touching, Appa gave a low moan, shaking water off of himself and onto everyone else. With cries of surprise, Aika shielded herself behind Sokka, thinking that maybe... Just maybe, this could actually be her life for awhile. That... she didn't have to be afraid forever.

* * *

New Tetsu, the next morning

A young man, yellow and white robes immaculate, walked through the thin streets, looking around to the multi-cultural hub surrounding him. People of every nation, despite a noticeable lack of notched ears among the crowd.

Striding forward, he seemed distinctly worried as he made his way to the very end of the city, a house slightly larger than the others in his sights. At this house's door, he stopped suddenly, glancing around nervously as he knocked on the door.

An annoyed, feminine voice responded from the other side, "What do you want?"

The boy hesitantly said, "Sylva, it's Deric from Chong. I saw _her_ today."

Suddenly, the door was yanked open. A middle-aged woman stood in the doorway, her dark brown hair hinted with grey, her eyes emerald green. A simple dark green tunic tied with a light green sash around her waist, she glared at the young boy intensely. "And you're sure?"

Deric nodded slowly. "Yes, she had her hand bandaged, but I could still see the scars on her fingers."

Sylva looked rapidly between the boy, the ground, and the sky, questioning and hateful. Hands curled around the doorframe, her grip turned white on the wood. "Thank you for telling me, child." A chilling smile lit her face, Sylva's narrowed eyes triumphant as she looked to the ground.

"She's finally reached her goal. Now... It's our turn to rise."

 **PLEASE REVIEW!**

 **A little note, Aika is from a town called Tetsu, Japanese for iron. However, every other town I had to name is either in Chinese or at least inspired by a word in Chinese. This is due to the Earth Kingdom being Chinese-influenced, but when I wanted a good name for Aika's hometown, I wanted it to mean "iron," but the word in Chinese simply didn't sit well with me, and looking it up in Japanese, tetsu simply felt much more right. Sorry if that annoys anyone, but it was my creative choice. The other cities were:**

 **Chong- Red**

 **Fujin- Nearby**

 **Just a bit of fun factoid for you guys!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Blue Spirit

**Hey guys! So, yeah, it's not a big deal, just something small, but WE'RE AT 50 FOLLOWERS HOLY SHIT THIS IS AMAZING I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! You have no idea how much it means to me to see that I'm not the only one enjoying this story! Though, I have no promises about how you'll feel after this episode...**

 **I just wanted to say thank you one more time, I love you all so much!**

 **KnightOwl: Sorry, you won't get answers to that one until the end of the season! But for now, some fun character interaction and bad choices! Yayyyyy!**

 **Mister Anonymous: Well, I won't agree or deny your theory- you'll just have to wait and see! To the ship names... EEE, they're both wonderful! I want everyone in the comments to tell me whether they want it to be Zika or Aiku- I simply can't decide!**

 **Thank you to all who reviewed!**

 **Now, we shall begin!**

Chapter 8: The Blue Spirit and the Flame

"Sokka, off! I'm not a freakin' otter penguin!"

Aika was currently being hugged by a red-faced Sokka, Aika regretting her choice to let Katara go get water while she watched Sokka. They'd set down in an abandoned city earlier that day to allow Sokka time to recover, the Water Tribe boy having been running a fever for the two days since they left the harbor town. Now, curled up and camped out in a large temple's highest hall, a fire flickering in the center. Appa's saddle off to the side, Sokka lay against the bison's side in his sleeping bag, arms wrapped around Aika's waist.

As Aika pulled his arms off her, Sokka protested, "But you're so warm... Like a sarcastic... mean, punchy fire."

Aika sighed, slightly worried they might notice how peculiar her strange warmth was, looking to Aang as he examined a map of the area. "I'd feel bad punching him when he's like this, so remind me to punch him once he's better." Still, she grabbed his arms, tucking them back inside his sleeping bag.

Sokka smiled feverishly at the white furry mass he was on. "You know what I love most about Appa? His sense of humor."

Aika responded, "Yeah, he's got to be at least ten times the comedian you are."

Appa let out a soft growl, Sokka barking a laugh. "Classic Appa!"

"Stay in your furry sack bud, Katara will be back soon."

Aang frowned, looking outside. "She's been gone awhile. You think she's in trouble, or getting sick like Sokka? She _was_ coughing earlier like he was yesterday."

Aika admitted, "Maybe. I mean, we were all in the cold for awhile."

"Don't worry guys, I'm fine," spoke a familiar voice from the entry, Katara walking up the steps with a bucket of sploshing liquid, her canteen swinging on her shoulder. "There were just... a lot of steps."

Setting down the bucket next to the fire, it was easy to see in the firelight that Katara very pale, her attempts to hide her shaking hands unsuccessful, one shivering hand moving to her hand in a fist as she had a short coughing fit. Aika slid down Appa's side as Aang stood, taking her hand. "You're not fine, Katara! You sound just like Sokka did yesterday!"

Katara insisted weakly, "I'm fine, Aang! It's just a cough."

Aika snorted. "Yeah, and that's exactly how Sokka was yesterday."

"Are you going to get sick too, Aika?"

The impure shook her head confidently. "No, I don't get sick easily, Arrows. Now what did you find?"

Aang frowned down at his map. "I couldn't find any ginger to make into tea, but I found this map- it shows there's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka and you there."

Katara insisted, "We're fine! _I'm_ fine, Aang! Sokka will better by tomorrow, we just need to rest. Here, I'll start some water for-"

Aika shook her head, grabbing Katara by the hood, dragging her to Appa's side. "Nope, you're going to stay right here with your brother." Gently shoving Katara, the Waterbender plopped down next to her delirious brother, Aika walking over to their pile of bags, tossing Katara her sleeping bag. "Now, you stay there, watch out for your brother, and stay warm while we go visit this herbalist."

Aang hesitantly suggested, "Maybe you should stay here, Aika. I can reach the herbalist's faster on my own."

Aika frowned, opening her mouth to protest before glancing to Sokka as he shivered in his bag, Katara fighting another coughing fit. Slowly, she nodded in annoyed agreement. "Fine, but hurry up. You can't leave me here for long with the guy who thinks he's an Earthbender."

She gestured to Sokka, currently flailing his arms in a lackadaisical attempt to punch. "Take that, you rock!"

Aang nodded, picking up his staff. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Walking to the edge of the temple, lightning flashed in the sky, Aika flinching at the light. Aang, reconsidering flying, set his staff against the wall and instead made a massive leap, jumping over the steps and running incredibly fast through the ruins.

Aika, left alone with the two sick Water Tribe members, a sleeping bison, and a chattering lemur. Katara now curled up in a sleeping bag alongside her brother, Aika sat tending the fire and occasionally passing around the canteen to them, spending almost an hour in this fashion. Katara and Sokka falling asleep, Aika found herself staring out into the distance, worry in her eyes.

 _Aang's been gone too long. That herbalist was barely a mile away- I could have walked there and back in half an hour. He could've gotten there in five minutes. Even if it took a long time to make, this isn't alright. The sun is going to set soon..._

Eyes falling on the map beside the fire, she picked it up, resigning herself to becoming more familiar with the landscape. Unrolling the map, she studied it half-heartedly before a familiar symbol caught her eye. A character that Aang wouldn't have recognized but she had seen a thousand times: the Fire Nation character for "stronghold."

Aika stared wide-eyed at the map for a moment as she murmured to herself, "Pohuai Stronghold... Shit shit shit..." _I underestimated how fast we were traveling- I thought it was farther away! Aang could've easily been caught by the thugs there._

Standing, Aika raced to the edge of the temple, looking out to the mountains. "Damn it, Arrows..." With a glance back to the sleeping siblings, Aika whispered, "Sorry guys," and took off running down the steps. Taking them two at a time, she quickly found herself jogging through the abandoned city, making good time as she worked her way from the mossy stone to the thick forest that wove its way across the feet of mountains.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Arrows, I swear if you're dead, I'll go to that spirit place you ramble about and drag your ass back."

In a valley just between their camp and the herbalist's, Aika found her first hint of what had gone wrong. Aika was trying to pick her way across the river, jumping fallen tree to fallen tree to avoid the water when a flash of red caught her eye. Curiosity peaked, she picked her way across the spiny side of a fallen pine tree, she knelt on the wood, reaching out and grabbing a red-fletched arrow from the tree's side, it's tip still with a patch of orange cloth.

Aika glared at the arrow as she threw it into the water angrily, hissing, "Yuyan archers. Perfect." Standing, she looked between the city behind her she'd come from and the herbalist that resided up a cliff in front of her, turning to the right.

"Pohuai Stronghold it is, I s'pose."

With that, Aika was jumping from log to log, cautious of the water as she made her way across to dry land, running alongside the river toward the Fire Nation base until her gut felt like it was on fire, forcing her to progress at a walk.

By the time the lanterns atop the high walls were in sight, night had fallen, the flickering of the flames illuminating the guards on post. The forest's edge still a quarter mile from the stronghold, Aika quickly took cover in the trees, not wanting to risk being seen as she climbed higher and higher into the branches until she was at the same level as the outer wall, a clear view of the base.

The center of the base was a tall, red tower, rivaling the height of the cliffs it was backed against. Three rows of walls were in a half-ring around the tower where the cliffs didn't guard it from the front, each wall taller than the one in front of it. On each wall, lanterns gleamed at common intervals, never leaving the pacing guards in a blindspot. In the quarter mile between the woods and the stronghold, a long road wound its way from the massive gates and into the canopy of trees.

 _Damn... They cut down the trees around the stronghold since I was last here. Probably so people can't do what I was planning. Well, if I can't get in through the trees, I suppose my best option is to take the cliffs._

It was a short walk to reach the cliffs, though that was the easy part. Tearing another strip off her shirt's hem, she quickly wrapped her left hand to match her right and began her climb. Fingers wrapping around the outcroppings in the rocks, she found every foothold and every grip she could get for her hundred foot climb, falling into her rhythm.

Find a handhold, pull yourself up, find a foothold, push yourself further up.

Again, again, again...

Halfway up, focusing solely on her climb was only resulting in focusing too much on her aching limbs. _I swear, if you're not even here Arrows, I'm going to steal your razor and-_

Her foothold, a small outcropping of rock with a coating of gravel, her sandal sliding on the gravel, Aika desperately clinging to the wall as her feet scraped against the wall, trying to find a new foothold, arms burning at the weight. Finally pushing her toes against a small outcropping, she finally could stop to breathe, fingers bleeding slightly from gripping the sharp rock so hard.

Aika, heaving for breath, muttered, "Damn... This... is bullshit..." Glaring up at the cliffs, she let out a labored breath, resuming her climb.

After forty five minutes of climbing, Aika finally reached the top of the cliff, latching onto the edge and hauling herself over, rolling onto her back, chest rising and falling heavily, the girl staring at the dark sky blankly as she regained her breath, her arms and legs numb from the effort.

It was another fifteen minutes before Aika could move, forcing herself to crawl forward to the cliff's peak. Looking over the rocks, she realized she'd made a dangerous miscalculation- the tower wasn't as close to the cliffs as she'd thought. She'd estimated it had been a couple feet away- not a couple yards.

"Shit..." It was at least thirty feet to the building, leaving her with no hope of normally jumping, even if the cliff she was on was higher than the building. No rope, no way to really get across by her usual methods.

Looking around, no one else was on the cliffs, no windows on the back of the building, no one guarding the gap between the tower and a solid cliff.

 _No one to see... I'm completely free to do what I need to._

She took a quick walk to the other side of the cliff, turning back to face the tower again before sprinting forward. Her heartbeat in her throat, Aika took a massive breath of air halfway, her body heating up as her feet pushed off the stone, flames lighting at her feet that sent her flying forward with twice the momentum, the quick burst of flame acting as propulsion. Aika turned weightless for a moment, seeming to hanging in midair, twisting so she was in a nosedive, hands forward as she approached the center of the curved roof. Hands crashing into the red tiles, she shifted her shoulder forward, tumbling upward for a moment before gravity started to pull her down again. Aika's hands desperately tore at the red tiles, managing to snag her cut fingers into a divot between the tiles, stopping her downward fall. Letting out a breath, she carefully found her next handhold, repeating this process over and over as she carefully crawled up the roof to the very peak.

Slipping over the roof's peak, she slid down the drape again, down to the edge, peering over the edge to look at the building below her. Just beneath her, luck would have a balcony, outreaching so she wouldn't have to hang from the rafters and break through a window. Eyes raking across what she could see of the room, she concluded it was empty, slowly crawling over the edge of the roof, swinging softly to land on the balcony. Wasting no time, she raced through the open doorway and into a richly decorated room. The Fire Nation emblem on every wall and banner, Aika paid little attention to the royal level of furniture, immediately making for the door.

Pausing before opening it, she listened for any incoming voices or steps, carefully opening the door at hearing nothing. Slipping into the staircase, she carefully closed the door behind her before taking off down the winding staircase, peering around every corner with an expectancy to have a fight.

 _I can't remember what level the prison was on, though I think it was the lowest floor... but would Colonel Shinu even risk putting him in a normal cell? Does he know Aang's the Avatar? For now, I just have to assume that he's at the bottom. If he's not, I'll just have to backtrack._

It was difficult, being unseen with how many people the stronghold held. Every time she heard voices or incoming steps, she immediately moved to the next floor or ran back up to the last one, hiding around a corner until the sounds disappeared, spending almost half an hour like this, adrenaline the only thing keeping fatigue out.

Halfway down though, she found someone she couldn't hear coming.

Running down the steps, every footfall careful to make as little noise as possible, someone else was doing the same. Aika immediately stopped, hearing someone incoming, though the soft sound led her to believe they were distant, the next floor down closer to her. Resuming her run, she was ready to duck into the next hall as she crashed headfirst into someone all in black except for a blue and white, grinning mask.

Aika grappled with the masked man for a few moments, her instincts kicking in and her fists immediately aiming for his chest and face one after the other, both her attempts caught within the masked man's hands. Not done however, Aika's knee shot up and collided with his stomach, making him release her, stumbling down a step and into the wall, leaning against it for a moment as he gasped for breath.

Aika did a quick double take, blinking in confusion. "Wait... Zuko?" The masked figure didn't answer, instead drawing his dual broadswords from his back. "Knock it off, Hothead. I know it's you."

An annoyed growl came from behind the mask, the swords moved to each brush against her throat. "How did you know?"

Aika, completely unperturbed by the weapons at her neck, cockily gloated, "I'm just that good, Princey. I know the way you move, your height, how you sound when you breathe," Zuko seemed to be holding his breath suddenly, her disturbing knowledge making an impact- until she smirked, hands now on her hips. "Or your mask is a little off."

Zuko sheathed a sword, hand moving to his mask to find that bumping against the wall had knocked his mask gently askew, barely showing a sliver of the burnt skin just behind his eye. Fixing his mask, the prince growled, "How did you get in here?"

"Cliff-climbing, a little bit of a long jump. Seriously, that was a horrible idea-"

"What are you doing here?"

Aika confidently responded, "Probably the same as you- looking for little Arrows. He has a bad tendency to get lost. I should put up some signs-"

Zuko cut in, "Did you already free him?"

Aika immediately took in several facts at once: how Zuko assumed she'd already found him, glancing out the window to confirm she was only halfway down, noticing the way he held his sword, how his free hand was completely steady and prepared to snatch his second sword back out at a moment's notice. "... I'm not sure I want to tell you."

Zuko's sword pressed against her neck, the prince growling, "I'm sure you do."

Aika chuckled softly, slowly raising a hand that wrapped around the blade's dull edge, pushing it an inch away. "Please, you don't have the guts for murder or torture, Princey. I may not know everything about you but I can tell that much."

Below them, echoing voices began to emerge, Aika's grip tightening on the sword's edge. "You hear them too, Hothead. As a sign of good faith, I'm telling you Aang is still here, thought I don't know where. Obviously, you do. Now, we can either argue about what you are and aren't capable of, or we can go free Aang and argue about who gets to keep him once we're out of this dump."

Aika's gold-flecked eyes bored into the eye-holes of Zuko's mask, her gaze like iron, unbending and determined, Zuko's mind whirling with the turn of events. _I can't waste time here, and if the Avatar sees she's with me, maybe he'll cooperate more. I definitely can't have her getting caught and setting this place on high alert._ Zuko slowly lowered his sword with a slight nod, Aika returning the gesture as she turned and started running up the steps, Zuko quickly gaining and moving to her side.

Running up the stairs, no interruptions came forward, Zuko diving into a hallway after another four floors, Aika right behind him. Zuko drew his swords, Aika once again regretting her impromptu fighting style and failure with weapons. Zuko turned to her, voice barely audible as he whispered, "Stay back."

Aika gave a nod in response, fairly welcome to the idea of not spear-heading yet another section of this plan. _I can at least count on Princey here to safely rescue Aang, even if he wants Aang for himself. He wouldn't dare hurt his ticket home._

Aika watched calmly as Zuko dove around the corner, only a minute later hearing the last of four bodies fall. Walking around the corner, Aika surveyed the three guards chained in a side hall, one unconscious in front of the doors. She sighed at seeing Zuko already opening the door, hands on her hips and shaking her head like a disappointed parent. "So impatient."

The door swinging open, a massive room was revealed, most of it empty except for two columns at the end of the room, flaming braziers at the top, chains wrapped around the pillars pulled taunt where they latched onto the Avatar's arms and legs.

Aika managed a single step forward before Zuko shut the door, to her dismay. "Rude." Opening it right away again, Zuko had already sliced through Aang's chains, the boy now looking at his freed hands in awe, then to his rescuer as Aika spoke up, "You really have horrible manners, you know."

Aang suddenly brightened, exclaiming, "Aika!"

The girl put a finger to her lips in warning, glancing back out the door worriedly. "Yeah, it's me, Arrows. Now let's get the hell out of here before someone notices you're missing."

Aang quickly pointed to Zuko, who now strode toward Aika and the door. "Is he another one of your friends?"

Aika smirked playfully at Zuko, eyebrow arched quizzically, as if putting the question to him. "I should think so. I mean, we haven't been formally introduced, but you know him as-"

A sword's edge grazed her throat, though Aika still felt no fear for her life, simply chuckling. "You're still not intimidating, but keep trying. Maybe I won't mention it now, but I can just tell him later when _we_ go back to our camp."

Zuko withdrew his sword, Aang trotting up to Aika with confusion. "So... you're not friends?"

"Nah, we are. He just doesn't want to admit it- now come on. Time to go."

The three of them were quickly wandering their way out, Zuko in the lead with Aika right behind him and Aang bringing up the rear.

Suddenly, Aang was on his knees, crawling after some strangely frozen frogs, yelling about how he needed them and they should stop thawing out. Zuko and Aika moved at the same time, Aika slapping a hand over his mouth as Zuko grabbed him by the shirt and tugged him away.

Aika hissed, "Arrows, quiet! Whatever you want these for, we can get more later. They're useless in here."

Aang slowly nodded, Aika releasing him as Zuko insisted on pulling him along to the staircase. The sudden lack of soldiers gave Aika reason to believe an assembly was being held, luck truly on their side that night. At least... it had been.

Zuko led them silently through the drainage system, quickly moving through the gently sloshing water, attempting to pass unseen through the grates outside where moonlight and lanterns could bare their light down. While passing under one of such vents, the three froze in place as several heavily armored men walked beside the grate, two of the three immediately registering in Aika's mind: Colonel Shinu, the commander of the stronghold, and Zhao, his new layer of shoulder pads suggesting a promotion.

Suddenly, Aika was shaking, whether from rage or fear, Aang couldn't tell. He didn't dare speak, so he grabbed her hand, trying to keep her from doing something foolish, but it was too late. She pulled free of his grasp and was moving before anyone could stop her, jumping rapidly, hands latching onto the grate, quickly pulling herself up through the bars. Feet pushing off the metal, she was flying at Zhao quickly, fist colliding with his throat just as he was turning toward her movement.

Chaos broke out, Shinu immediately backing away as guards raced to help Zhao, Zuko grabbing Aang by the arm and dragging him the other way, despite Aang's protests. Zhao staggered back at the blow, clutching his throat as Aika's leg flew at him in a kick, her heel colliding with his cheek, knocking him to the ground.

Guards arriving, fire flew at her and spears bristled, Aika diving back into the grate for a moment to dodge, hauling herself right back out behind one of the Firebenders. Kicking him in the back, he fell forward as she ran to snatch a footman's spear, acutely aware of the two Firebenders now helping Zhao to his feet and guarding his retreat.

Aika roared, "Stop running like a coward, Zhao!" Yet no answer came as the two Firebenders each held one of the admiral's arms, pulling him away, Aika left to fend off the fifty soldiers within the innermost ring of the stronghold.

Underground, Zuko tugged at Aang's arm, yet Aang suddenly blasted him with air, pulling himself loose. "I can't leave Aika! She can't do this alone!" And with that, he rocketed up through a grate, racing off to help Aika, Zuko biting back a groan of anger as he followed, determined to keep the Avatar in his grip.

Aika was currently holding her own, a stolen spear in each hand as she jabbed at every soldier who dared come near her, trying to work her way back toward Zhao, but there were too many soldiers gathering between them. Fire biting toward her, Aika dodged around it, throwing one of her spears into the Firebenders leg, immediately stepping forward and snatching it right back, whirling around and throwing one spear after another at the two closest soldiers, running straight after Zhao, stopped by a spear lashing out at her in retaliation, cutting across her side.

Aika let out a yell of pain, clutching at her bleeding side as Aang charged in, sweeping his arm with a gust of wind blowing out the flames reaching for them, the soldiers sent tumbling back. Aang grabbed onto her free hand, tugging her toward the outer wall. "Come on, Aika! We have to move fast!"

Aika's breathing turned shallow, panic in her eyes. "Zhao..."

Aang urged, "Aika, you'll never get revenge if you get caught here, now come on!"

Aika slowly nodded, pulling her red hand away from her side, following Aang as she unwound the cloth from around her hands and haphazardly wrapping the injury as the three of them ran for the open gates.

Zhao's angry tone roared across the stronghold, ordering, "Close the gates, now! Kill the mutt, but don't hurt the Avatar!"

If Aang hadn't been holding onto Aika's arm, she would've whirled around and ran at him, demanding he do it himself. Still, Aang seemed to know what would happen if he released her, pulling her along as a row of soldiers gathered in front of the first gate.

Aang released Aika's arm, running ahead and putting his hands forward with palms together, pulling them apart with a ripple of air that knocked the soldiers off their feet. The three quickly skipped over the fallen soldiers Aika and Zuko both taking down one of the two remaining soldiers as they did- Aika stealing a spear again- and slipping through the rapidly closed gates. Halfway to the next gates unfortunately, the doors slammed closed, trapping them in the center ring.

Still running forward, Aang glanced to the next wall, yelling, "Follow me!" Aika and Zuko didn't question him, the impure tossing him the spear she'd taken, Aang snapping off the end quickly as they ran. Following as he veered slightly away from the gate, he skidding to a stop a few feet from the wall, whirling and spinning his new makeshift staff, a gust of air sweeping the two up and sending them flying up onto the next wall.

Zuko tumbled straight to his feet, Aika slower to recover as wings of soldiers approached from either side, the prince's swords raised and ready.

Aang spun his staff over his head like the blades of a helicopter, landing next to them as the soldiers advanced, Aika quickly taking to snaking between them and stealing their weapons, Zuko disarming anyone who came close, Aang using blasts of air to knock his opponents away until they were alone on the wall. However, from the space behind them, soldiers ran toward the wall with bamboo ladders- a strategy Aika knew well.

As the ladders were pushed up the wall, soldiers already rising up, she quickly ordered, "Aang, blast them off the ladders!"

Aang obeyed, great gusts of air knocking them right back to the ground, Aika snatching up a now empty ladder and dragging it up, dropping it down to the other side. "Come on, climb!"

The two non-airbenders started climbing down the ladder into the last layer of defense between the second and third wall, Aang simply floating down and blasting back anyone who came too close to their ladder. Aika and Zuko touching down, they began to fight their way through the soldiers flocking toward them. Aika now had a sword stashed in her sash, a broken spear in one hand and another sword in her other, using them all like throwing knives. Throwing the weapons at anything that was too close for comfort, she quickly ran out of sharp objects, stealing a new one every time. Aang's Airbending effectively kept away anyone in his sights, Zuko slicing through everything in his sight, they reached the gate quickly, but there was little to do from there, their backs against a wall that would never open for them.

The foot soldiers hung back, the Firebenders sent a blaze at them from every direction but behind, Aang creating an air sphere to shield them, though it did nothing to block the intense heat.

"Cease fire! The Avatar must be captured alive!"

Zhao had recovered, now standing beyond the line of Firebenders, a bruise forming on his cheek, face creased in anger... and triumph. "Mutt, listen closely. You want to face me so badly? Step forward with the Avatar, and I'll give you the Agni Kai you've been wanting."

The air sharpened as if turned to knives, Aang worriedly looked at Aika, no worry that she would turn on him, only concern that she might recklessly attack again.

Aika was stiff as a statue, eyes locked on Zhao. _A duel... A fire duel... I've been waiting so long... And Zuko helped Aang escape once... Maybe he could do it again._ Her hand slowly started moving toward Aang, hardly breathing, Aang's eyes wide with disbelief.

Zuko looked between Aang, Aika, and Zhao quickly, a plan formulating which he rapidly put into action. Swords lashing out, the quickly wrapped around Aang before coming to a cross at Aang's neck, Aang letting out a yelp of fear, Aika suddenly backing up slightly.

No one dared to move, too entranced and awestruck by what was happening, Zhao's anger-ridden face twisting into further rage as he glared at Zuko. Through grit teeth, he ordered, "Open... the gate."

Colonel Shinu demanded, "Admiral, what are you doing?!"

Zhao simply said, "Let them out. Now!"

The gates began to creak as they retracted, Zuko and Aang backing away slowly, Aika staying where she stood, eyes on Zhao.

 _This is it. This is my chance- he's right there, I could just..._ She looked around, eyes grazing over the soldiers. _Be stopped by the hundreds he has or be locked in the gates._

Starting to back away, Aika growled, "I hope you slept soundly last night, Zhao. It's the last time you'll ever rest easy again." She quickly caught up to Aang and Zuko, in front of them and unwilling to turn her back to Zhao, Zhao moving to to station above the wall, watched as the trio was nearly the woods, two figures beside him that Aika couldn't quite make out from their distance.

It wasn't until the last second she realized that they held bows.

Thoughts raced through her head faster than she could follow- knowing that they were the Yuyan archers, dreaded assurance they would easily find their marks, and the knowledge that an arrow was aimed for her.

Aang was behind her and panicking, Zuko was focused on Aang... She wasn't even sure they saw the archers. Suddenly, she knew what she had to do.

A deep breath, air flooding into her lungs as her body grew warm again, the familiar burning sensation in her stomach growing stronger than it had in weeks.

The arrows were loosed, Aika exhaling with a yell of defiance- and red flames dancing in front of them in a wall of fire, the flames originating from her mouth, the heat intense on her face, singing her eyebrows. The arrows dissolved to ash as they entered the flame, Aika ending the onslaught as her breath ran out, taking heaving breaths to make up for it.

Shock shook Aang down to his core, eyes wide in a mix of confusion, surprise, and a fear hard earned. _Firebenders destroyed my home, killed my family, attack the nations, hunt us down, took Katara's mother... and Aika's one of them?_

Suddenly, Zuko's swords weren't at Aang's throat, now sheathed as the prince grabbed Aang's arm and dragged him into the forest, Aika turning and following, all three disappearing into the trees.

None of them could really stop to think- adrenaline and paranoia drove them to run in a panic away, farther and farther until they couldn't see even the faintest shadow from the stronghold. Aang the only one not panting for breath, Aika was the first to stop, leaning her back against a tree as she fought for breath, Zuko and Aang following her lead.

Zuko trying to use his uncle's breathing exercises, Aang stared at the ground for a few seconds before turning on Aika, demanding, "You're a Firebender?!"

Aika, still gasping for air, put up a hand to stop him. "Just... a... minu... te..."

Aang whirled to Zuko, demanding, "And who is this?! What is happening?!"

Aika let out a breath with exaggeration, taking a few more seconds to collect herself. "Yeah, Arrows... I've always been. That would be... my good buddy, Princey-"

"Princey? Wait, that's what you call..." He looked over to Blue again, eyes even wider than before. "Zuko?!"

Zuko suddenly didn't care that he didn't have his breath back yet. He just needed to grab Aang before-

Aang was too quick, running to Aika, snatching her arm and taking off running, Aika stumbling along behind him, essentially being towed as she managed to give Zuko a mocking salute as they disappeared into the brush.

It was easy to reach the river, where Aang finally stopped, whirling on Aika. "Okay, one: you're a Firebender?! Two: you're 'good buddies' with Zuko?!"

Aika sighed, finally having gotten the majority of her breath back. "Yes and kind of- I think we really bonded while hiding in the halls." Before Aang could start freaking out, Aika slipped a hand over his mouth, exasperated and exhausted as she responded, "Okay, calm down. Sokka and Katara need the cure you got from the herbalist. If you're going to yell about this, we should do it when we're not in the middle of nowhere and our friends are alone in that old city."

Aang slowly nodded as Aika pulled her hand away, the Avatar responding, "The old lady told me that they had to suck on the frozen frogs in this river."

Aika blinked, realization dawning. "That's why you were yelling at the things back in Pohuai."

Aang frowned. "Pohuai? Is that were I was?"

"Yeah, a Fire Nation stronghold, now come on, let's get some frozen frogs."

Digging around in the water, Aang did most of the leg work, Aika never leaving the bank as her bare hands, still with a sheen of red from her various cuts. Washing off the dried blood discreetly, she was careful not to let Aang see how to winced at the water's cold bite at her open cuts from the rocks, glancing to the bandages on her side that grew a deeper scarlet the longer she waited. Aang stood victoriously, raising two handfuls of frozen frogs. "Got them!"

Aika nodded, suggesting, "You should go on ahead- Sokka and Katara have been alone for a long time, and they need those frogs as soon as possible. I'll be along soon."

Aang slowly nodded, taking off running as Aika knelt at the water, untying the makeshift bandages. The pain she'd managed to drown in adrenaline set in quickly, a feeling like lightning in her side. At the thought of lightning, her right arm seemed to tighten painfully. _I know the feel of lightning._

The cut luckily wasn't deep, just oozing blood. This was a strange sort of relief to her as she cupped her hands in the water, a handful of water splashing on her cut, the pain suddenly doubling, making her slump and groan. Pulling her shirt higher away, she rinsed and repeated this process for a good three minutes before deciding she'd wasted too much time at the riverside. Washing off her faked bandages the best she could, she rewrapped the cut and pulled her shirt down over it, stiffly standing.

It was a quiet walk back to the abandoned city, Aika refusing to think of what was ahead, keeping her mind blank. She couldn't bring herself to think of how they'd react to the truth. Still, there was nothing she could do to stop what was coming aside from running away.

Walking through the ruins, she slowly made her way up the steps of the temple they'd been camping in, a hand on her wounded side as she finally reached the top.

Sokka and Katara were still bundled up in their sleeping bags next on Appa, yet they looked distinctly better. Color back in their faces, Sokka no longer mumbled incoherently, the two actually already seeming at least mentally stable again, even if they were still physically disabled still.

Aang sat cross-legged by the fire, fidgeting worriedly as he stared at the flames, a kind of sadness in his eyes; he almost seemed to be asking the fire why it would hurt everyone around him. At seeing Aika arrive, he quickly stood, voice subdued. "Aika."

Aika slowly nodded. "Hey, Arrows. I suppose you want to talk now?"

Aang nodded, as Katara frowned wearily, inquiring, "What are you talking about?"

Aika slowly let out a breath, raising her left hand in front of her. "... I'm sorry." Flame flickered to life in her palm, red tongues gently swaying in the swirling air.

Aang shifted backward as if it were the first time he'd seen her flames, Sokka not seeming to compute what had happened, Katara's eyes widening as she suddenly was scrambling to her feet, swaying from her weakness. "Y-You... you're a Firebender?"

Aika slowly nodded, flames fading out as she lowered her hand. "Yes. I have been the whole time. I lied about what I could do." She slowly lowered her head, the stray hairs around her face falling over her eyes, shadowing her expression. _I told you not to trust me._

Sokka finally seemed to process the fact that she'd created fire in the palm of her hand, pointing wildly at her. "You're a Firebender! Why didn't you tell us?!"

Aika simply said, "I didn't want to scare you away. I knew you wouldn't trust Aika the Firebender, so I thought you might trust Aika the non-bender." The distrust and the confusion in there eyes was like knives, digging into her chest, yet she didn't flinch away. This simply was the consequences for her actions, and she couldn't ignore them.

Katara sat up, one hand instinctively moving to the water pouch beside her. "You think we'd judge you like that?"

Aika let out a bark of a bitter laugh, a hand on her notched ear. "Everyone else does. They see fire and they assume I'm the bad guy, especially with what I am. As a mutt, people simply don't trust me, and I built my life around that. When I fell in with you guys... well, at first, I didn't want to get attached. I thought it was just a job, that I would leave soon and that I shouldn't bother getting to know you, or letting you know me. Then you lovable idiots grew on me like a lost cat owl and I'd already lied to you for so long, I didn't want to risk everything just by telling you about my fire."

Aang's brow creased in a sort of melancholy, his mind on her words. "You only joined us to find Zhao, like today."

Aika's hands tightened to fists at her sides, the impure insisting, "Okay yes, that was my original purpose, but about today, I wasn't going to just betray you!"

Aang asked, "Then why were you reaching for me? If Zuko hadn't stepped in-"

"Zuko?!" Sokka and Katara yelled together, now seeming very confused.

Aang quickly explained, "Aika teamed up with him to free me, but Aika attacked Zhao before we could escape. We managed to get to the gates, then Zhao said he'd fight Aika if she gave me to him." His eyes tried to meet hers, trying to find answers, trying to see if she could really defend herself against what had happened- yet she kept her head low and eyes shadowed. "And she almost did before Zuko got us out."

Katara stared at Aika as if looking at a stranger, confusion and hurt in her eyes, Sokka's gaze more accusing. "Aika... Did you-"

"Yes," Aika's voice resounded softly as she finally picked her head up. Her eyes met Aang's and he found the opposite of his wish: her eyes were filled with guilt, anger obviously directed at herself... but he couldn't find a hint of regret. "I would've taken the deal if Zuko hadn't intervened. I wish I could say I'm sorry, but I don't want to lie anymore. If I could go through it all again, I would make the same choice."

Sokka demanded, "How can you say that? What else are you lying about?"

Aika shrugged. "That answer depends on how long you want to be here."

Katara pleaded, "Aika, just let go of this revenge stuff and we can-"

Aika's eyes closed as her scarred hand ran through her hair, her braid barely holding together. "I can't _just forget_ , Katara! Look at me!" Putting her scarred hand in front of her, she glared at her lightning-patterned skin with unfettered hatred. "How can you forget something that's been in front of you for as long as you remember? Zhao did this before he burned my home to the ground! I won't forget as long as I live- no..." Her hate-filled eyes turned up to glide across the others, her every breath releasing the slightest whiff of steam. "Until _his_ life is over and what's left is burned to a crisp. _Then_ I'll be willing to forget."

Aang never thought he could think such a thing, and yet... looking at Aika like this, rage in her eyes and huffing heat... There was no denying it. She was absolutely terrifying.

Katara seemed close to tears, Sokka with his hand on his boomerang, wary of her anger. Aang simply stood there, staring at her with a mix of horror and disbelief that kept being interrupted by his optimism attempting to convince himself this wasn't how she really felt.

Aika, looking over the people she'd grown to call friends, she recognized the looks on their faces- that fear of someone you trusted and denial that it could be real.

 _I know that feeling... I know that fear... I'm sorry to have ever put you through meeting me, you wonderful fools._

Her rage shut down with a deep breath, Aika walking toward the others. Sokka tensed, Katara and Aang simply watching warily as she walked right past them, stopping at their supplies. Picking up her pack, she quickly separated her few things from theirs, her bedroll and a red, silk sash the only items she kept, removing all food from her pack. Walking straight for the exit, she softly apologized, "I'm sorry to have lied to you. I never should've come with you all in the first place... but thank you for everything."

Katara protested, "Aika, wait!"

Aang called, "You're just going to leave?"

Aika didn't dare turn around, continuing her way down the steps. "I'm not the kind of person you need around, Arrows. All I'd bring you is more trouble, and you have enough of that. Have fun saving the world. And by the way: get out of here before Zhao sends the Yuyan archers again. You don't want to go toe to toe with them."

Aang ran up to the temple's edge, yelling to Aika as she disappeared into the treeline of the city, Katara sitting back down dejectedly, head in her hands as Sokka rubbed her back, half-heartedly attempting to sooth her. "We can't make up her mind for her. Besides... Maybe it _is_ better this way."

Katara closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I don't think so."

Aang ran down the steps, into the trees after Aika, yet she was no where to be seen, Aang returning a few minutes later, solemnly falling to a sitting position as he murmured, "She's really gone."

There was nothing to say to that, the three simply sitting in silence, watching as the embers of the flame faded completely, crumbling until the fire circle held only ashes.

The sun was over the horizon by the time Sokka quietly suggested, "We should get out of here. She was right about those guys coming, if this stronghold place is so close."

Aang slowly nodded, no one else daring to say a word as they silently packed up their things, resaddled Appa, and were quickly sailing through the sky.

* * *

It hadn't been hard for Aika to start a fire in the crumbling building she'd taken to calling home, after looping through the trees and back into the abandoned city when Aang came looking. Now sitting next to the fire, she'd rolled her shirt up, fingers rubbing together nervously.

Aika muttered to herself, "Ohhh, I haven't done this in a long time." Flame bursting to life at her fingers, she grit her teeth as the fire bit at her wound. Groaning at the pain, her flames flickered, yet she managed to finish cauterizing the wound, extinguishing her flame and and leaning back against the broken wall, hands clutching at her burnt skin. _This'll be a scar... Another for the collection I suppose, but at least it's not as deep as some of the others I've earned, and now it won't fester..._

She still continued to curse angrily under her breath, looking at the deep pink wound and quickly looking away again. "Nope... Oh, hell no." Her head hanging back against the wall, face to the ceiling and eyes closed with her jaw set in her pain.

Aika remained in the same position for a long time, curled up by the fire, she was starting to drift off to sleep when the sound of sliding metal perked her ears.

A familiar voice growled, "Where is the Avatar?"

Aika didn't even bother opening her eyes, simply chuckling softly. "Long gone by now, Princey. Sorry to disappoint."

Zuko's voice became angrier, much more insistent than before. "He wouldn't have left his ally here, now where is he?"

Aika sighed, sitting straight and opening her eyes, giving Zuko an annoyed look. "Seriously? Do you see a giant flying bison? Hate to break it to you, but you're going to be playing follow the leader a little longer. I walked out and told Arrows to leave. I saw him fly off about ten minutes ago."

Zuko, Blue Spirit mask hanging from his belt and swords drawn, didn't seem to be in the best of moods at hearing this news, whirled angrily, fire glaring at the edges of his swords as he let out a frustrated yell. Aika pulled the band from her hair, running her fingers through her black hair. "Calm down, Hothead. You know where they're going now."

Zuko turned back toward Aika, wondering if someone Aang had dropped some hint, demanding, "And how exactly did I find that out?!"

Aika shot him a coy smile, fingers slowly weaving her hair back into a braid. "When you decided to bring me along on your little hunting trip."

Zuko snorted, the glimmer of hope he'd allowed to grow suddenly squashed. "As if I would bring you. If the Avatar really left you, then you're no use as a hostage."

"Oh, that's not what I mean," Aika finished the plait, tying the bottom and tossing the tail of hair over her shoulder. "I know the Avatar's travel plans, Princey. I know where he's headed and the most likely route as to how he'll get there. That's something that would help with your search, isn't it?"

Zuko's hope bloomed once again, his mind racing with the idea. If he knew where the Avatar was going, he'd finally be able to follow without the delay of tracking, he could outmaneuver him and set a trap- his options would be endless! At this point, it didn't matter to him how much of a pest Aika seemed to be. The Avatar was more important than his comfort. Zuko slowly nodded, agreeing, "You can come along if you'll tell me where the Avatar is going- but why?"

Aika, realizing her shirt was still partially up, slowly and carefully rolled it down, Zuko seeing her wince of pain as the cloth rubbed against the wound. "You have your mission, I have mine; and mine becomes easier when I'm close to Aang. So rest assured, the best for me also helps you, Hothead. And you can always trust me to do what's in my best interest." Aika slowly stood, back sliding against the wall to support her, trying to play off her pain as apathy. Extending a hand, her sly smile seemed devilish, her voice playfully taunting. "So? Has the prince fallen low enough he'll touch a wild mutt?"

Zuko slowly stepped forward, sheathing his swords. "We have a deal, but you'll tell me where the Avatar is going before we go anywhere."

Aika snorted, lowering her hand at seeing he wasn't going to accept. "Sorry Princey, but I'm not giving up my only bargaining chip. My kind may be known for being untrustworthy, but you're desperate. When someone gets desperate, they'll do anything."

Zuko scowled, glaring angrily at her as he whirled around, storming out the doorway. "Well? If you're coming, keep up!"

Aika smirked as she stepped forward, grabbing her pack and slinging it over her shoulder, grimacing at the pain shooting from her side as she stepped forward, following after Zuko grumbling, "Yay, sleepover on the Fire Nation ship with the cranky prince. This'll be a blast."

Zuko ordered, "Stop your mumbling and just keep up or I'm leaving you behind!" Striding forward, he couldn't help but glance back every few seconds to make sure Aika was still there- also to see if she wasn't trying to stab him in the back. Still, Aika kept good pace, trailing behind a good ten feet, muttering about what a horrible person Zuko was just out of spite.

After a good four hours of hiking through the mountain forests, Zuko periodically trying to yell at Aika to stop mumbling about him to no avail, the two looked out of the woods, eyes now on a crescent shaped bay, Zuko's ship anchored in the center, a small boat pulled up on the rocky shore. Aika scoffed at the small craft, teasing, "Wow, one step above swimming, one step below a driftwood raft."

Zuko scowled, demanding, "Are you going to snark at me or are you going to get in?"

Aika patted the prince's shoulder, winking. "Calm down, flame brain. I'm just havin' a little fun."

Zuko let out an aggravated breath, the air steaming around his face as he did so, currently considering if the Avatar was really worth dealing with Aika, despite already knowing his own answer.

The short trek to his ship was uneventful to Zuko's relief, though he'd taken notice of just how hesitant Aika was around the water. It was definitely something he could make use of.

Pulling up alongside the ship, two lines hung down, hooks on the end. Zuko slipped the nearest hook onto the edge of the canoe, turning to tell Aika to do the same, finding she'd already done so. _Uncle did say she was a messenger in the military. I assume she must've picked up a lot from them. I have to be careful around this girl..._

Tugging quickly on the line twice, the lines beginning to reel back upward, pulling the canoe out of the water and up the ship's side. Reaching a small hole in the side, a gray-haired man in military uniform- a lieutenant, from what Aika could tell- stood turning the winch that pulled them up. At the level of the entrance, Zuko and Aika slipped out and onto the main ship quickly, the officer staring in confusion of the newcomer as Aika admired, "Huh, looks like you can actually have a ship in working order, Hothead. I didn't think-" Her eyes had turned from the ship to the officer in front of her, eyes flashing in recognition, confusion, and a sort of melancholy nostalgia Zuko couldn't understand. "Jee?"

Lieutenant Jee looked lost as he inquired, "Do I know you?"

Zuko was just as confused as his lieutenant, quickly pressed, "How do you know my lieutenant?"

Aika suddenly regained her trademark smirk, crossing her arms. "For your information, Princey, we're old friends." Winking at Jee, she asked, "Or do I need to do a little dance a run a message to your wife for you to remember me, old guy?"

Suddenly, realization lit his gaze, suddenly clapping Aika on the shoulder. "Wait, Runner? You're alive? Damn it kid, we thought you died years ago!"

Aika scoffed. "I'm disappointed, Jee! You should know I wouldn't do something stupid like dying. At least not without achieving world-wide fame first."

Zuko, eyes flicking back in forth in an attempt to pick up on what was their connection, spoke with the most commanding tone he could muster. "Jee, you know this girl?"

Jee seemed to realize he was being very informal, pulling his arm away from Aika, nodding stiffly. "Yes sir, she was a messenger for the fort I was stationed at several years ago. She used to run messages to our families back in the colonies back when messenger hawks were reserved only higher officers."

Aika let out an exaggerated sigh, over-dramatically musing, "Oh, how sad I've been replaced with a bird. I miss when there weren't as many hawks around- it was a much simpler time."

Jee snorted. "Bullshit, Runner. You just liked to pick up Firebending moves from the training grounds."

Aika shrugged innocently, admitting, "That might've been part of it."

Zuko let out an annoyed breath, storming past the two and heading for the cabins. "She's a guest while she helps us find the Avatar, now I'm going to bed."

Aika's rock hard gaze softened for a moment, seeing how exhausted the prince was as he tried to look angry as he walked off, only managing to look even more tired. "Sleep well, Princey. Tomorrow, I'll have you on the Avatar's tail."

With Zuko disappearing down the hall, Jee came undone like a tight spring, shoulders loosening as he dropped his soldier's stance. Eyes hinting with concern, he looked over Aika, taking in her scarred arm and red blotches that stained her side. "Are you alright, kid? And how'd you fall in with Zuko? For that matter, where'd you disappear to all those years ago? It's been what, four now?"

Aika amended, "Five, and I don't think you actually want to know where I went. Trust me, old man, it's not a story that'll give you a warm, fuzzy feeling."

Jee's eyes were still stuck on her arm, thoughts gathering on a question: "What happened to you, Runner? Your arm..."

Aika quickly slipped her scarred arm behind her back, shaking her head. "Jee, no. Don't worry, it was years ago. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Alright, alright kid. You win this one, I can tell you won't budge."

Aika flashed him a half-hearted smile, even her attempts to seem cocky weaker now. "I always was stubborn."

Jee snorted. "Yeah, and how much trouble did it get you into?"

Aika smirked. "All of it. Now, I think I'll go find some more trouble."

"Alright, you can take the cabin down the hall, to the right, last door." The girl turned to walk away, Jee shaking his head. "I swear Runner, one of these days you'll find somethin' you can't outrun." At this point, he was too far behind her to see how Aika's scarred hand seemed to twitch, the girl's eyes turning distant.

"Yeah, one of these days. Not today." _I can run from them. I can run from everything- I always have. I can escape these feelings, slip away. It's how I live._

Aika quickly wound her way through the ship's halls, finding the cabin Jee had mentioned, a simple box-shaped room. A thin pad on the floor, a banner on the wall, and a lantern hanging from the ceiling, it was completely barren- not that Aika cared. She was exhausted and drained, her inner flame barely as strong as a candle.

Closing her eyes, Aika wanted to fall asleep, yet despite her exhaustion, this restlessness wouldn't go away. Instead, she stared at the candle that flickered in the lantern, eyes lidded.

 _The candles... They'll give off a brilliant light... at least until they destroy themselves._ Closing her eyes, she pushed and pushed at her thoughts, trying to make her own mind leave her alone, but she couldn't get rid of the words as they played over and over.

 _You burned away your own chances._

 _How long until you burn out too?_

 **Please review and let me know: Aiku or Zika for the ship name!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Message She Gave

**EEEEEEE! So many new followers and favorites! My heart skips a beat every time I see I have a new person who enjoys Aika's tale as much as I do! Thank you so much to my old and new followers- it means so much to have your support!**

 **Sorry this chapter took longer than usual, but I had to be careful. This was a... delicate piece to write, and having no infrastructure of an episode to work around, it was entirely up to me. That's a bit scary, but I got it done just the way I wanted!**

 **Momochan: Thank you so much! I'm glad I have you invested in what happens- that means I'm doing my job! Thank you for being the first to respond to the ship name question; so far, you're in the lead!**

 **Mogor: A new chapter, fresh out of my sleep-deprived brain!**

 **KnightOwl: Awwww! *blushes* You're amazing- thank you so much for your continued support. It's an awesome feeling to know that someone will always reply to your chapter, and you're words are always an inspiration to fall back on!**

 **Artemis: I take no offense, and I think if Aika knew who he was, she'd be delighted to be compared to such a dashing pirate! Thank you for your support!**

 **Znkp: Thank you! Here's your new chapter- I hope you enjoy!**

 **Happy Halloween, my friends! I hope you have a spoopy day!**

Chapter 9: The Message She Gave

Aika emerged from her cabin around noon, having gotten a few restless hours of sleep, the girl now striding confidently down the halls. Passing a pair of men in red cloth, she flicked her fingers from her temple in a mock salute. "Gentlemen." From the very fact they didn't attack, she knew Jee had already informed them all she'd be staying as a "guest," though this only brought her thoughts back to where they'd been since she'd arrived at dawn.

 _Jee._

 _The five years I was gone._

Five years wasted, no progress made, no change in her status. She could almost scream from the frustration, though she couldn't imagine how much worse it'd been for Jee. She'd disappeared, out of the blue, absolutely no warning. In fact, the day before, she'd just gotten back from her position in another camp.

She'd been a messenger for two years, running back and forth across the world, and no matter what, when she came back to her main station, she'd always find herself back around the camp fire with Jee and the other soldiers she knew so well. The guilt of disappearing still weighed on her, no matter how hard she tried to push it aside. Still, it wasn't like she could actually get away from it.

Running is what she did best, from people and her responsibilities.

Wandering through the halls, she found her way up to the deck, finding it mostly empty except for a few soldiers going about their duties and a familiar face drinking tea. Iroh sat in a chair near the rail of the ship, over looking the side at the gentle waves as he sipped the tea from his cup, a table and an empty chair beside him.

Aika managed a smile as the conflicted emotions she had about Iroh were pushed aside. "General- it's good to see you."

Iroh turned with a smile. "Aika. How many times do I have to remind you, it's just Iroh. I've been retired many years now."

Aika shrugged. "I suppose, but old habits die hard. How has life on the move been treating you?"

Iroh's gentle smile grew, happily musing, "It's been invigorating, to say the least. These new places and beautiful sights warm my heart- though you could tell me all about travel. From what Lieutenant Jee has told me, you're quite the adventurer these days."

Aika's hands clenched to fists, Iroh taking note though he didn't mention it. Still, Aika's voice didn't show any of the emotion displayed by her body language. "Yes, I've been traveling the world... well, almost ever since the end of the siege."

Quiet set in at her mention of the siege. They didn't dare speak, for fear of bringing the pain of the past, Iroh gazing out over the water as Aika simply kept her eyes low.

"Would you like to sit?" Iroh's mood had bounced back, gesturing to the empty seat.

Aika slowly nodded, sitting down, eyes catching on the sadness and agony still behind Iroh's eyes. _I can't even blame him. If anything, I don't understand why he doesn't look at me with that pain every time. After how we parted... I wouldn't blame him for it._

Iroh picked up the teapot beside him, pouring the simmering liquid into another cup as he offered, "Have some jasmine tea- it's good for your nerves. I'm afraid we've run out of ginseng."

Aika tried for a laugh, barely managing a weak chuckle. "You still hand out tea to anyone who walks by?"

"To anyone who seems to need it." Iroh smiled as he presented the cup to Aika, the girl accepting with quiet thanks. Taking a sip, the two sat together, watching the crew go about their day, Aika giving little thought to the way several of them looked at her curiously, as if wondering what she was doing there and so relaxed with Iroh. It was several minutes before she found the strength to speak, the steam from her cup entirely gone.

"Iroh? Why do you remember me?"

The man glanced back to her, heart straining at seeing the listless way she swirled her cup, the confusion in her eyes- it was too closely resembling Zuko. "Why wouldn't I?"

The girl looked up, the golden flecks in her pools of green dulled to the point they didn't seem to exist. She was so questioning, desperate to understand. "You know why. Back in those days, messenger hawks weren't as common, only reserved for long distance and important messages. For the few months I was in your camp, I saw probably fifty other messengers like me delivering messages between officers and back to the colonies. And after the last message I delivered..." Her hands tightened around her cup, the heat from her touch causing the liquid to begin wisping steam again. "Why would you bother remembering the name of the person who told you something like that?"

* * *

 _Running. Bare feet pounding across the ground, braid flailing behind her, dodging and weaving between the yelling soldiers. Flames assaulted walls of earth on the battlefield only a few yards away, the towering walls above specked with the enemy soldiers, the seemingly_ _miniature boulders they flung suddenly massive as they crashed downward._

 _"Incoming!"_

 _One of the rocks crashed down directly behind her, the soldiers managing to scramble out of its way, they and her all knocked off their feet. Knees torn by the rough terrain she fell to, she got up, running and running, tears in her eyes, chest heaving._

 _It was directly ahead. She knew he was- he always led the charge. Soldiers didn't even bother chiding her for diving through their ranks- the battle was too important for that. The wreckage of the Outer Wall lay behind them, now in what was called the Agrarian Zone- agriculture and open land between the Outer and Inner Wall. She'd been called to the front lines, only to be sent to the center of the line with her message._

 _She could see him now- the Earthbenders defending on the ground retreating for fear of the flames that spouted from his maw. The way they fled his flames, climbing the wall with their bending as the soldiers let out a proud cry, calling out to their leader._

 _The Dragon of the West._

 _"General!"_

 _The gray-haired man turned to the sound of her weak voice, pulling back within his line of elite soldiers as skidded to a stop, rocks tearing through her heels though it didn't seem to get to her. Iroh, younger and just as strong, inquired with a smile: "What is it, Aika?"_

 _"Sir, Lu Ten was hurt! They broke through his guard! I-I don't know if he..." She couldn't manage to finish, the words cut off as her throat stopped functioning, fighting for breath._

 _And suddenly, the smile was gone, desperation, fear, horror entering his gaze. He couldn't respond, only take off at top speed toward the left flank- the end of the army Lu Ten had insisted on leading. Aika, struggling for breath in her desperate race, could only watch as he ran, knowing she should've run faster, whether it was possible or not- knowing with a sinking sadness that after seeing how badly the general's son had been hurt, Iroh wouldn't make it in time._

* * *

It was deadly quiet, Aika stared at her cup, angry with herself for being foolish enough to bring it up, Iroh sitting with eyes closed, face a mixture of melancholy, grief, and a strange sense of peace. Aika softly said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

The silence persisted as her voice refused to work. She didn't know what to do, what to say. She'd never seen Iroh after delivering that message- after that, the army retreated, the soldiers scattered across to different bases around the Earth Kingdom, some going home, and the messengers sent to run somewhere else. She'd tried to pick up anything about him, anything after Lu Ten's death and the siege was abandoned, yet not a single person had any whispers or gossip that would give her peace of mind. At least until she'd heard about his joining Zuko in his search.

"I suppose I don't fear those memories."

Aika jolted out of her thoughts, looking to Iroh in surprise, the man looking off into the horizon with a smile. The pain was still there, but she could see... he had something different to him. He was... contented. He'd faced his loss and was living on.

"It isn't that the pain is gone. It's that I have decided to contribute the rest of my life to guiding others. I do not associate you with that tragedy, Aika, and you shouldn't either. What you should be asking is whether or not you have overcome your own tragedy and found _your_ purpose."

Aika suddenly couldn't find her breath, wide eyed as she blinked blankly at Iroh, an uncertain sort of fear in her eyes. _No. He couldn't possibly know. I've never told anyone what happened. As far as anyone knows, Tetsu was an accident, or completely unrelated to me. He couldn't know._ He _would never say anything about me. He couldn't know..._ "What do you..." It took her about a second to realize she couldn't bluff past Iroh like everyone else she tricked. He'd see right through her. Letting out her hitched breath, she softly asked, "How did you know?"

Iroh sipped his tea, voice sympathetic. "It's in your eyes, child. Just like another goal-oriented person I know."

Aika let out a half-hearted scoff, glancing toward where she knew the cabins lie below deck, where a certain prince was still asleep. "Yeah, because I'm so similar to Hothead down there."

"Well, from what I know, you aren't the most level-headed either." Aika's ears turning ever so slightly pink, Iroh continuing, "I do not entirely understand, no. Though I can see something happened after the siege. Your hand-" he gestured to her uncovered scarred hand, Aika instinctively pulling her arm back, tucking it under her leg in shame, "- is the most prominent tell. Zuko has told me that you are hunting Zhao. This is true?"

Aika's grip turned white on her cup again, eyes narrowing at the liquid as if it had insulted her. "Yes. I'm going to end his life- I'm going to be free of my own goals."

Iroh didn't seem surprised- if anything, he seemed saddened by her answer, as if wishing it had been a lie. His voice much more serious, he warned, "Taking another life is something you cannot recover from, Aika. I know what he means for you, what he's always meant. You lived in his camp for several months before coming to me, did you not?"

"Yes, and I understand that it's difficult to take a life, but-"

"Difficult?" Iroh didn't raise his voice- he didn't have to. His incredulity and insistence came across without volume, only power. "It is a stain on your life you can never remove. Have you ever killed before?"

Aika clenched her jaw, softly answering, "I've claimed to, but no."

"And you think you could take the life of another? What could possibly be worth such a thing?"

Aika's voice gained a sudden rawness, her battle to keep her emotions from her voice turning her sound rough. "Going home, Iroh. The only way I can go home is if he's dead." Her white knuckled grip suddenly released the cup, the girl draining it and setting it down on the table. Voice lethally quiet, she didn't dare look at the man as she stood. "Thank you for the tea." Walking forward, she made her way toward the door into the interior, Iroh looking worriedly after the girl until she disappeared into the halls, turning his gaze to her empty cup. On one side, one of her hands had heated so much, she'd left the slightest of fingerprints on the ceramic.

 _Why must so many young people be lost on their own road?_

* * *

Aika wound her way through the halls, hoping to run into Jee, finding herself bumping into someone else. Zuko rounding a corner as she walked straight, the two collided, both pulling back immediately with irritated glares at one another. Zuko spat, "Why don't you want where you're going?"

"I had the right of way Princey, but don't worry, I'll forgive your incompetence. Honestly, how do you plan to catch Aang if you can't even walk in a hallway without hitting an innocent person walking by?"

Zuko practically steamed at this, growling, "Then why don't you make yourself useful and tell me where to find him."

Aika shrugged playfully, despite her mood being completely opposite. The moment she'd left Iroh, her uncaring facade had returned to normal, her trademark smirk gracing her lips. "Ah, sorry but I can't quite do that."

"And why not?!"

"Well, partially because I don't know where he'll go next."

Zuko's look of incredulity was almost enough to raise her spirits, golden eyes widening in outrage. "You-"

"But-" She raised a hand in a stopping gesture, palm only an inch from his face, "- I happen to know where his end goal is and a way to track him down."

Zuko demanded, "Then tell me!"

Aika winked. "All in good time, Princey. For now, just aim the ship toward Makapu."

Attempting to walk past him, Zuko quickly grabbed her arm without turning, stopping her from going by. "That's not good enough."

Aika's gaze sharpened, her opposing hand wrapping around his, voice a low growl. "It's going to have to be. I'm not throwing away my best bargaining chip my first day here, Princey. Try again tomorrow." In a sharp yank, she pulled his hand off her arm and walked on as if nothing had happened, Zuko glaring after her.

Aika let out her breath as she rounded a corner, Zuko scowling as he stormed off to the bridge. Aika quickly arrived back in her cabin, plopping down and leaning against the wall. Looking at the lamp, long since burned out, she let out her breath, pushing aside her thoughts, despite their fighting to take priority in her mind.

Hand out in front of her, palm up, flames danced an inch over her skin. Taking a deep breath, she willed the flame to grow, their color turning paler as they jumped up another foot.

Breathing deeply, a soft rumbling grew in her throat, a gentle hum of a song she'd been singing for years. The soft, simple melody echoed against the walls of the room, the words running through her mind like water in a stream.

 _I met a boy on the mountaintop,_

 _thought my very heart would stop._

 _We walked for hours,_

 _trading love and flowers,_

 _I found a man like no other._

 _I never thought I'd find my love,_

 _it must've been the work of spirits above._

 _Oh Shu, the world has gone dark,_

 _no more singing of the lizard-lark._

 _Oh Oma, please don't you be scared,_

 _light or darkness, we'll be paired._

 _Love was in the air, but not meant to be,_

 _for love has never ever been free._

 _The rivalry strong,_

 _couldn't get along,_

 _our families had spoken._

 _Never to be separated, rock would bend,_

 _a maze of tunnels with no end._

 _We'd sit and love forevermore,_

 _had I not been called to the war._

 _Oh Shu, the world has gone dark,_

 _no more singing of the lizard-lark._

 _Oh Oma, please don't you be scared,_

 _light or darkness, we'll be paired._

 _Death did take my Shu from me,_

 _my tears could've doubled the sea._

 _The fighting did I stop that day,_

 _but the cost of peace on me did weigh._

 _A city I build for peace to bloom,_

 _yet all I truly felt was gloom,_

 _till the day I lie beside you._

 _Oh Shu, the world has gone dark,_

 _no more singing of the lizard-lark._

 _Oh Oma, please don't you be scared,_

 _light or darkness, we'll be paired._

Aika hummed the song again and again, remembering the festivals, the days she'd spent running wild and dancing among the others of her village, listening to Don and Kara sing this and every other song she knew. Hours and hours, they'd spend like that... One of the few times Aika remembered seeing her mother smile before she lost her forever. Thinking of Jet dancing with his mother and sister, of all the people she'd known that were gone.

Her flame had long since gone out, Aika left staring at her hands as her hoarse throat continued to hum the song, heartbeat slowing ever so slightly with every breath until she closed her eyes, slumping against the wall as she fell asleep.

* * *

No one disturbed her, Zuko too enraged by their conversation to attempt communication- at least until they were closer to Makapu. _Then_ he'd have something to say.

It wasn't until the middle of the night that she woke up, blinking in confusion at the darkness. "What the...?" Sitting straight, she cracked her back, yawning. Lighting a flame in her palm, she lifted it as she stood, frowning.

 _My face feels cold... What even-_

Her hand moved to her face, fingers tracing lines across her cheeks of where cold liquid had dried. Hand closing into a fist, she grit her teeth angrily, pushing to her feet and storming to the door, shoving it open and striding rapidly through the halls until she reached the top deck. No one there, she could see the light shining from the bridge where if she squinted enough, she could see the nightwatchman had fallen asleep, snoring against the window.

The cool metal made her bare feet tingle as she walked forward, stopping in the center of the open deck. The water splashing gently against the metal sides of the ship, the dark horizon of the land nearby looming like a sea monster. The deck was barely illuminated by the deck light, but it was enough for her. Taking a deep breath, she recalled the drills she'd watched hundreds of times- the ones her master had taught her long ago.

Spinning on one foot, her other leg lashed out as she felt her foot heat up with the friction as fire trailed like a whip from her toes, the flames casting light across the deck, the metal gleaming with the orange glow.

She didn't know why the words started coming, but they did. "I met a boy on a mountaintop..." Punching forward several times, her feet slid across the metal as she shuffled forward, every movement fluid.

 _The mountains that ruled over Tetsu, the way they cast shadows every dawn and dusk, their height blocking the winds and weather that made the other side cold and windblown._

"Thought my very heart would stop..." She crouched to one knee as her other swept the ground as if knocking out an opponent's feet, hands held close to her chest.

 _The pounding of her chest as she raced up the mountainside with a foolish bravery no one else could muster, running messages to the colony far on the other side and miles away. Sometimes, she wondered if her ribs could take how hard her heartbeat seemed to press against them._

"We walked for hours..." Spinning right back to her feet, she raised her arms into the default stance, though reversed- her right hand pulled close while her left hand stretched out offensively.

 _The cold snow beneath her feet in the winter, the way she'd stop and start a fire when she needed to fight off the frostbite. The grin she'd give everyone who she passed on the road while running messages for the soldiers._

"Trading love and flowers," Her fists lashed forward, orbs of flames bursting forward, though only half her punches produced fire. "I found a man like no other."

 _A smile. A hug. The greatest happiness she'd ever felt._

 _All torn away by that sudden jolt of lightning._

The pain seemed to return for a single moment, faster than she could blink, her veins turning to fire with the memory, the agony too much for her mind to fully register. Collapsing to her knees, she clutched her arm to her chest, heaving her breaths, close to tears.

The memory was quickly pushed out of her mind, but the pain tried to linger, her hand tightening as she tried to pull herself back together. Between breaths, she could only glare at the metal as she hissed, "Pathetic... You expect to beat him like this... You haven't beaten him yet because you're still just a mutt, running wild."

 _Heart pounding, running water, pain. So much pain..._

The fingernails in her scarred hand dug into her palm so harshly, she broke the skin, scarlet droplets sliding slowly down her fingers. Taking a deep breath, she stood up again, eyes hard as steel. "Got to get stronger... I have to get stronger... faster..."

Reassuming her stance, her once weary eyes were filled with a new vengeful fire as she lunged back into the drills.

* * *

Dawn had broken when Zuko emerged from his cabin, already armored and angry as ever. Storming through the halls, he scowled as he walked through the halls, anger rising as he saw at least a fourth of his crew standing around in the entrance to the deck from the lower levels.

He snapped, "What are you all doing standing around?!" Stomping forward, they quickly made way, scattering as Zuko burst up into the upper levels, only to see what had caught their attention.

Aika was drilling her firebending even still, twisting as she did midair attacks, arms almost a blur as she swept them through the air. Her face dripping sweat, Zuko could easily see she'd been out on the deck for a long time. Her eyes were bloodshot and bagged, her movements fast but stiff, as if her muscles were starting to fail. Looking at the deck, the metal was slightly discolored from her blasts of flame, the prince slightly disturbed to see the red that flecked her hands and feet, the cloth over her knees and elbows were shredded.

Despite how strangely unnerving she was, Zuko walked forward purposefully, stopping a few feet away. "We're growing close to Makapu- it's time you told me where we're really going."

Aika didn't seem to hear him, her burning eyes never even glancing toward him as she flung flames forward, Zuko's anger flaring.

"Are you even listening?!"

Lashing out, he latched onto her wrist, Aika suddenly seeming to process his presence, freezing still and whipping her head toward him, Zuko almost letting go of her as their gazes connected. Her eyes were more than bloodshot, the dark coloring underneath her eyes a dark violet. The look in her eyes was the worst, though- angry, vengeful, melancholy, homesick, hurt, panicked, confused- all wrapped up with a sort of demanding stare, as if she expected him to have the answers to some impossible question she'd been asking forever. Aika tore her wrist loose, stepping away. "The hell do you want?"

Zuko was surprised by the rage in her voice, seemingly barely contained as he shot back, "For you to answer me. We're close to Makapu, so it's about time you shared."

Aika huffed out a breath, glaring at him as she felt the heat burn in her chest stronger than it had throughout the night. "Sorry, not in a sharing mood."

She tried to brush past Zuko, but the prince grabbed her arm, not even turning to look at her, glaring forward. "I won't take your excuses."

Aika bristled like a boar-q-pine, scowling as she hissed, "Let. Go."

Zuko shot back, "Not until you tell me what I want to know- it's the only reason you're here."

Aika stiffly growled, "All in good time, _Your Highness._ You'd think someone related to General Iroh would have some patience."

Zuko's hand tightened on her arm as he finally turned to face her, trying to force her to turn, but she wouldn't budge. "Tell me now or I'm going to leave you at the next port!"

Aika rolled her reddened eyes, exhaustion not fully hindering her sarcasm. "Oh no, it looks like I have no other options now that to tell you! Fat chance, Princey. I know it's my best bargaining chip and that you wouldn't dare toss your best lead off on the next dock."

Zuko growled, "And if I put you in the brig?"

Aika's eyes turned to ice, her eyes slits of emerald. "Good luck trying. You've seen me fight- you and I both know who would win in a fight. Besides, I doubt your uncle would allow such a thing."

Zuko snarled in return, "And if I told you I could beat your unrefined style easily?"

Aika's voice was mockingly sweet as she ripped her arm away "I'd tell you to stop kidding yourself and stop acting like a spoiled prince."

The last straw was pulled and snapped, Zuko punching forward with a burst of flame, Aika quickly backpedaling out of its bite. His arm still forward, she grabbed hold with one hand, her own body twisting as she bent his arm behind him, leaning forward and whispering in his ear from behind. "Still want a rematch for the beach? You're too stuck in your drills to beat me. You need to be... _spontaneous."_

Zuko responded by throwing all his weight forward, the two going into a tumble, Zuko somersaulting easily as Aika had to twist midair so not to crash headfirst into the metal, instead letting go of Zuko as her shoulder touched down, skidding back to her knees as Zuko stood, towering over her. "Was that _spontaneous_ enough for you?"

Aika smirked as she rubbed her shoulder, rolling it to try and push away the pain from the improvised landing. "Not enough to beat me, Hothead." Aika lunged forward, knocking his legs out from under him, rolling to the side as she landed again, barely avoiding Zuko falling down on her. Rapidly pushing to her feet, she set a proud foot on the small of his back, taunting, "Think you can keep going, or should I just call this my win and spare you the embarrassment of continuing?"

Flames sprouted to life at Zuko's feet as he used his momentum to spin on his stomach, quickly twisting onto his back as Aika jumped backward to avoid being knocked off her feet, Zuko blasting flames from his hands with such force he was blasted right back to his feet, glaring. "You don't hold a candle to me."

Aika rolled her eyes. "Was that supposed to be a firebending joke? If it was, you are severely lacking humor." She raced forward, quickly closing the short distance between them, leaping into the air with a kick, flames biting in a whip-like motion starting at her toes, Zuko swiftly dodging by sliding beneath the flame, though unprepared for her next attack. Having spun entirely around in the air, she touched down on one foot only a few feet from him, immediately swinging her leg, though no flames this time- the ball of her foot collided with his jaw.

Zuko let out a sharp cry as he staggered back a hand on his reddened cheek, Aika not letting up, not letting him gain and distance. Striding forward, her fist blasted flames directly at his head, the prince sluggishly bringing his hands forward to counter with his own flames, the heat still singing his arms. Yet through this, he suddenly noticed something odd about her fighting- she kept her right hand close to her body. It would've been better to use it in offense, or at least for balance. Zuko had to assume that the scar on her arm was sensitive, just as his was, and she kept it close so not to risk it being a weakness- however, no matter how well her style had adjusted to this, she couldn't cover the weakness it left her with.

Aika didn't give him any time to breath, throwing up a knee to hit his sternum, but Zuko had pulled his thoughts together now. Catching her knee, he twisted, throwing Aika to the ground, the girl hitting the deck face first, blood dripping from her nose. "Wow, I thought you were about my 'disgraceful tactics.'"

She tried to stand and put distance between them, but Zuko had the upper hand now, storming forward while punching forth a torrent of flame, primarily aimed at her right side. Zuko was pleased to see his assumptions were correct, Aika unable to counter and left to hurriedly dodge, a few smoldering patches left on her pants. Zuko growled, "You don't play fair, so I won't either."

Aika's smirk completely dissolved, that scary look returning to her eyes. "Fair? Nothing's fair in this world, Hothead. You know that as well as I do."

 _Ursa._ His mother's face flashed across his mind, but he couldn't push it away before Aika took advantage, kicking flame at him as she punched another blast at him, Zuko creating a fire shield to block both, Aika sliding right under it to stand straight once under and immediately slam her elbow into his throat and kicking him to the ground in quick succession. "So, how's that nerve I just touched?"

Zuko glared up at her, ready to stand up and fight as her palm suddenly appeared over him, prepared to blast him if he attempted to stand. Smirk returned, she asked, "So kids, what have we learned in today's lesson? That training doesn't mean shit? Very good!"

Zuko growled, "But it helps." The third defense set his uncle had taught him after his banishment- the prince used one leg to push himself upward as his other foot collided with her elbow, Aika letting out a cry as she staggered back, gripping at her pained joint, Zuko leaping to his feet and punching with both fists to create a massive blast of flame that rocketed toward her, the hybrid barely managing a quick fire shield before she staggered back, panting as she grinned.

"Now you're getting into it."

Zuko scowled as he demanded, "Just tell me where the Avatar is going!" Storming forward, Aika was still trying to pull herself together, Zuko easily grabbing her shirt's front, face centimeters from hers, noses nearly touching.

Aika glared at him, not bothering to fight the arm he hand on her shirt. "Sorry, I'm not done yet." She suddenly lurched forward ever so slightly, her lips brushing against his cheek. Suddenly, Zuko's interior heat skyrocketed, mostly in his face, his hand releasing hers as he stumbled back rapidly, too many thoughts suddenly bursting through his head.

Before he knew it, he was on his back, staring at the sky with Aika's bare foot on his chest, the girl smirking over him. "Sorry Princey. You do whatever you can to win. I think I can officially say this is one for me." Removing her foot, she whirled around, walking back toward the lower decks. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to go take a nap. Just make a stop in Tíngzhǐ."

Zuko pushed to his feet, the embarrassment and befuddlement he'd felt melt into rage. In half a second, he closed the distance between them, grabbing her by the back of her shirt and yanking her down, Aika unprepared and crashed backward to the deck, winded by the sudden collision with the ground. Zuko towered over her, growling, "That's not good enough anymore. I'm done with your vague answers."

Aika returned his glower as she rushed to her feet, Zuko taking his chance to test a theory he'd been building ever since meeting the pirates. On her feet and striking forward with her left, a fire dagger in hand, Zuko carefully grabbed her wrist, her flame disappearing with her surprise. Her right swung forward, fist about to collide with his jaw as he grabbed her hand. Aika tried to push against him, but she couldn't match Zuko in terms of raw strength.

Zuko knew now, for certain. Looking at her scarred hand, he observed, "You can't bend with this arm."

Aika's eyes bulged with anger, her head pulling back and rapidly cracking against his, both staggering back as the pain of their collided skulls pounded like hammers. Zuko rubbing his head angrily, Aika barely still on her feet from how the world spun beneath her. The girl managed to mutter, "You can fuck off and mind your own business, Princey!"

Zuko shook his head, trying to get his vision to stop splitting everything into doubles. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Aika's vision cleared, eyes turning upward, full resentment and rage. "Me? Says the banished prince with daddy issues?"

Zuko's own anger swelled, the two suddenly in a much more serious stance, aimed at one another. This wasn't the almost playful battle they'd just had, venting out their anger at others- this was anger directed at each other.

Both in fighting stances, Aika was the first to act- dropping the stance with a release of breath. "... Aang is going to the North Pole. You've probably figured out by now that Aang can't bend all the elements. Both he and his friend Katara are going there to learn."

Zuko's anger faded enough for him to process this information clearly. "Then I'm plotting a course to head them off."

Aika shook her head. "No, you'll never get ahead. The ship is too slow- the best you can do is keep up. No, put in Tíngzhǐ and you'll get what you need to catch him."

Starting to walk past, Zuko could see the way she nearly dragged her feet with exhaustion, wondering how long she'd been out on the deck before he'd seen her. "What's in Tíngzhǐ?"

"An old friend, and a way to track Aang's exact route."

The girl almost to the door, Zuko demanded, "Why would you tell me now? And what did you really hope to gain from all of this?"

Aika stopped, eyes closed as her hands balled into fists before quickly releasing. "Because sometimes, it's better to play your cards on the table where others can see what you have against them. And sometimes, you need to let your enemy know just what you can do on a few hours of sleep and worn down from twice as many hours of non-stop training." She glanced over her shoulder, shooting Zuko a half-hearted glare. "I want you to fully understand I'll turn on you the moment you're not worth enough for me to stay." With that, she disappeared into the lower levels.

Zuko stood on that deck for a good while, contemplating what he knew. He couldn't quite comprehend the strange guilt in her eyes, the way she _warned him_ she was bound to betray him. _She's... ashamed she betrayed the Avatar at the stronghold. Did she warn them it would happen and they didn't listen? Is she trying to keep it from happening again?_

He simply couldn't figure out what she could possibly be thinking, though he tried not to pay it anymore. They had a real plan now, an actual end goal, though they had to cut off the Avatar before he could reach the pole.

Watching Zuko pace the lower deck, Iroh and Jee stood in the command center, watching. Iroh turned to the lieutenant, inquiring, "Jee, you knew each other well?"

The officer nodded. "Well enough. I knew her for awhile while I was posted with General Sho, about a year and a half. What do you need, General?"

Iroh was too focused to remind Jee to use his name, watching his nephew pace. "Do you know when she gained that scar?" He had discerned the same that Zuko had- she was incapable of bending with that arm.

Jee blinked, considering the question for a moment. "I know it was within the five years she went missing. After the siege ended, she was only back to our base for about a day."

"And was Zhao there at the time?"

"Y-Yes. How did you know?"

Iroh sighed, closing his eyes. "I've suspected this for awhile now. I'll know for sure once we reach the next port, I'll know for sure." Lowering his voice, he spoke barely about a whisper as he looked down at his nephew's pacing form. "They're too young to be so lost."

 **Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10: The Hunter

**Hey my wonderful readers! I'd like to quickly direct your attention to the beautiful new art for this story! I've absolutely fallen in love with it! My best friend drew this for me, and I absolutely love the symbolism and how the single color bursts out from the graphite! Thank you to her for this awesome piece!**

 **Thank you SO. MUCH. To my beautiful new and old followers/favorites! It means so much to see you love the story, and it only serves as more motivation for me to write! I mean, 64 FOLLOWERS? HOW EVEN? All I can say is you guys are amazing and thank you so much for your support!**

 **So this chapter was all over the place- I wrote about four drafts before I settled on this, so sorry if some bits seem disjointed. Still, it's one of my better works, so I hope you enjoy!**

 **So far, the ship name vote is 2/1, leaning toward Zika! I'll still take votes until the end of Book 1, so there's still time!**

 **KnightOwl: That... is actually an amazing idea! It strangely never occurred to me to integrate that into the story, but I'm definitely doing it now! It's not as prominent in this chapter, but I'm definitely including it strongly later! Thank you so much for the wonderful suggestion- it really proves you guys are an amazing inspiration!**

 **Ryo: I'm really glad you're enjoying the story! *blush* Your compliments will turn me red as Zuko's scar... As to your question, I will refrain from spoilers but I can tell you that there will be a large section of Season 2 devoted to Aika and Zuko starting to actually figure out the other is also a human being. Thank you for your reviews!**

 **Kmbrun: Thank you so much! I've been working hard on my writing strategy, and I'm so glad that it shows! Hopefully, I'll keep it up and you'll forever want more Aika!**

 **Serendipity: I wish it were as simple as that, but if that's all she wanted, I'd be writing a much less complex character. No no no, you guys get to wait a few more chapters to find out what her true goal is, though I'd love to hear your guesses! Thank you for your reviews!**

 **Momochan: I hope that I have delivered the chapter that you all deserve! Thank you for your review!**

 **Znkp: Thank you so much for your review!**

Chapter 10: The Hunter

The next morning, the ship pulled into the small port city of Tíngzhǐ, a small town that seemed to consist only of the docks, a row of houses, and the market along the beach's edges. Aika already on the deck, her right hand now wrapped in bandages as well as her torn feet, she leaned on the rail as she looked over the village, a small genuine smile on her lips.

Zuko quickly made his way from the wheelhouse down to the deck, Iroh close behind as the prince looked straight past Aika as if she didn't exist, though he stopped beside her. "You said you had a method for tracking the Avatar." Nodding her greeting to Iroh, she calmly said, "Good morning, General."

Aika's minuscule smile evaporated into her usual facade, her playfully narrowed eyes and smirk back. "That I do, Princey. If you'd kindly follow me." Striding down the ramp, the other two followed, though Iroh quickly excused himself to go browse the market racks. Zuko kept close to Aika, as if nervous she would try and run for it, the girl unconcerned with him as she aimed for the central pillar standing apart from all else on the port. Off one of the five docks, it was a simple bulletin board, posters and public alerts pinned on its sides, Aika seeming bored as she watched a man in faded green slip up the ramp and onto Zuko's ship.

Aika stopped in front of the first sign, eyes racking over images of familiar faces: the Blue Spirit mask, Aang, eyeing the parchment with her own likeness on it. Smirking at it, she discreetly tore down the poster as she noted, "Huh, nice picture of me. I think I'll hang it in my room."

Zuko, patience already worn thin, demanded, "What is the point of this? How will this help my search?"

Aika let out an annoyed sigh, lazily flashing Zuko a half-hearted glare as she slipped the poster into her inner shirt. "I don't know, Zuko. Maybe you should shut up and let me find someone?" She began to circle the sides of the pillar, smirking at the sight of a poster for a spiky-haired man with a scar next to one eye.

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, asking, "You're looking for your friend with a wanted poster?"

Aika let out an exasperated huff, whirling on the prince. "Okay, just stop. My friend happens to be a bounty hunter, and I'm looking for someone with a high enough bounty that she'd go after them."

Zuko arched an eyebrow. "And how does that help in the slightest?"

"Are you not hearing what I'm saying? Boun-ty hunt-er. She's the greatest tracker I've ever met, and if I call in a favor, she'll track Aang for you." Zuko couldn't help notice how her face had acquired the slightest hint of admiration, not bothering to mention it. His heart was pounding with the hope, the growing exhilaration that he could find the Avatar!

Still, something continued to bother him. "And how exactly with finding a bounty sheet for someone we don't know how to find help us find a hunter?"

Aika plucked another piece of parchment off the pillar, waving it in front of Zuko like a prize. "Because I just found a thief who's worth one hundred silver pieces. I also happen to have seen said man slip onto the ship not long ago."

Zuko's eyes bugged for a moment, surprise fluttering in his chest as he suddenly whirled back toward his ship, outraged someone would stow away on his ship. Storming toward the ship, Aika took a few seconds to glance over the bounties again before following.

Zuko asked, "And you're sure this bounty hunter friend of yours would come after this man?"

Aika shrugged. "I suspect so. He was one of the highest Earth Kingdom bounties, and she's not a fan of the Fire Nation. She doesn't take their bounties often, sticking with what she knows. It's safe to say she sticks around this area, so there's a good chance she'll show. It was also posted recently, so she should be fresh on the case."

Zuko scowled as he jogged up the ramp, Aika leaning against the ship's edge near the ramp as Zuko began spouting orders about finding the stowaway.

Aika pulled out her wanted poster, examining it thoroughly. Her face drawn in a much more devilish style than the others she'd seen, eyes squinted and grinning as if she were crazy, the notch in her ear exaggerated, the writing next to it detailing the terms of her bounty.

 _"Wanted by the authority of the Fire Nation and his Highness, Fire Lord Ozai:_

 _Aika._

 _Hybrid._

 _Wanted for theft, assault of officers, and espionage._

 _50 copper ban, returned living or dead."_

Aika felt her blood heat with her anger. After five years of troubling the Fire Nation with stealing and raiding, they couldn't even offer some silver for her?! Ridiculous. It was straight out insulting, thought she couldn't help but chuckle at herself. Only she could feel annoyed over this instead of worried of being hunted. She never had really been chased before Zuko's crew, and that wasn't even aimed at her. _I suppose I'm too stubborn to have a healthy amount of fear of anything._

She pushed the thought aside as Zuko emerged from the lower deck, two soldiers tugging the stowaway along with them. Zuko immediately moved for the hybrid, stopping in front of her with his usual glower lifted slightly with aspiration. "How will your friend find this guy?"

Aika smirked, letting out a hissing chuckle. "She won't have any trouble. Ever heard of a shirshu?" Zuko frowned, answering her question. "Shirshu's are some of the best tracking animals on the continent, probably the world. Once they have a scent, they can track the person anywhere." Reaching down the front of her shirt, Zuko quickly averted his eyes as she pulled out a black necklace with a blue jewel. "I don't have anything of Aang's, but you had something of Katara's."

Zuko's eyes widened, glaring angrily as he tried to reach out and snatch it back, Aika quickly stepping out of his way. "How did you get that?!"

Aika smirked, unable to resist the chance to use his words against him. "'I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering.' After all, is it stealing if it's from a thief?"

Zuko hissed, "Yes!" He suddenly processed fully what she'd said, backtracking, "And I didn't steal it in the first place!"

Aika shrugged. "Okay, so I'm a thief. I'm perfectly okay with that, though. Besides, it's not like you were using it well anyway." Wrapping the necklace around her wrist, she pulled herself up to sit on the boat's rail, trying not to think of the water they were above as she smirked at Zuko's annoyed expression. "You don't need to be so serious, Princey. Come on, crack a smile. You may not know this, but it isn't deadly."

Zuko scoffed, shooting back, "Stop trying to meddle and just focus on your own problems."

"Fine, if you're going to just whine like a child, I'll sit here like your babysitter."

Zuko was about to snap back at her as a low growling began to echo across the docks, Aika turning with a smile. "And there she is."

Zuko at first wondered if his eye within his burnt skin had suddenly acted up, imitating the blurred vision he'd had when he'd been recovering. A brown creature the size of the Avatar's bison was racing across the port, so fast he had to process it wasn't just a trick of his own vision. The creature quickly reached his ship, jumping over the side, skidded to a stop on the deck, Zuko getting his first good look at the creature.

Lanky and sleek-furred, it was dark brown and streaked with black, its starred pink nose twitching wildly. Claws scraping dangerously against the deck, his eyes turned to the woman on its back: long black hair, pale skinned, a red snake tattoo coiled on her shoulder, dark eyes glinting as they tore across the deck, a whip in the hand that didn't clutch the reins to the massive creature.

"June!" Aika dropped down from the rail, waving eagerly to get her attention.

The bounty hunter turned, surprise evident in her eyes as she fought to keep her mount under control. "Ah, Aika. I was wondering when we'd see each other again."

Aika called up, "I'm glad you were looking forward to it! I have a present for you." She flicked a finger to the guards who held the stowaway, the two men shuffling nervously with the beast sniffling so close.

June flashed her a smirk, gracious sarcasm in her voice. "Why thank you, sweetheart."

The man suddenly tore away from the soldiers in his terror and their hesitance, running for the ramp, June and Aika acting together. June flicked her whip with practiced expertise, her mount's long pink tongue lashing out rapidly as Aika's flames burst forward, the thief having to stop in his tracks so not to be burned, the creature's tongue lashing across his back. The man fell forward, entirely frozen in his position.

June dropped off her shirshu, striding past a stunned Zuko as if he weren't even there, quickly picking up the man and tossing him over her shoulder. "Thanks, sweetheart. You made my job easier today."

Aika smiled. "Glad I could help. Though I have to admit it wasn't just out of the goodness of my heart. I need a favor."

June rolled her eyes, tossing the man on the back of her saddle. "I didn't know there was any goodness in that heart. But if you want to talk, we can do it later. Right now, I'm cashing in my reward- the bar on the outskirts of town?"

Aika agreed, "I'll see you there tonight, dusk."

"See you then, sweetheart." Tossing the man on the back of her saddle, she leapt up into her seat in a single fluid movement, swiftly cracking her whip and her shirshu taking off running, racing across the docks, almost trampling a few passerby.

Zuko blinked blankly, still trying to process everything that had just happened. "Why didn't you just ask her to help now? Why are we waiting?"

Aika seemed to have been put in a better mood after seeing June, her smirk barely falling as she turned to face him. "June has her own agenda, Princey. If I tried to make her stay, she'd only get annoyed and possibly refuse to talk to me at all. You can wait half a day to talk to the woman."

Zuko let out a huff of steam, whirling around and stomping off, Aika watching him with a smirk as she muttered to herself, "Have a nice tantrum, Hothead."

"I don't know why you insist on patronizing him, Runner." Glancing to the side, Jee had approached her with a sharp smile, arms crossed across his chest. "One of these days, you'll pick a fight you can't win."

Aika's right hand tightened, her smile turning slightly weary as she let out a laugh, tinged with bitterness. "Been there, done that. How've you been, old man?"

Jee shot her a teasing glare. "Gray hair doesn't make you old, kiddo. And this old man's been doing pretty good for himself, considering the circumstances."

Leaning against the rail, arms behind her, Aika's arched eyebrow and curious smile only reminded the lieutenant of days when the world was much kinder to them. "Yeah, I've been wondering... What's it like, working for ol' Princey?"

Jee admitted, "It was much worse when he was fresh out of the Fire Nation. Since then, he's actually become a pretty good leader." Aika scoffed, Jee's expression becoming a bit more serious. "Aika, you know better than anybody not to judge."

Aika wouldn't meet his eyes, closing hers as she crossed her arms stubbornly. "And you know better than to underestimate me. I can see people for what they are."

Jee warned, "Not when you have personal ties, Runner. You're not thinking straight- I can tell that much, even if I don't know why."

Aika's voice turned more insistent, growling, "I'm just fine, Jee. If anything, I'm better than ever. I'm close to getting my way, to reaching my goal. Then, all of this will be behind me. Everything I've done will be worth it in the end."

Jee's concern leaked into his voice. "Will it, though? Aik', I can see this stuff is hurting you. I don't know all of it, but I know something happened between you and the Avatar's crew. I know you don't want to have something like that happen again, and you shouldn't have to."

Aika snapped, "We're not talking about this!" Silence fell for a moment, Aika letting out a sigh, her arms falling to her sides, voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Jee. I just want to think about something better."

Jee nodded solemnly. "Sorry, kid. I'm just worried. It's been five years- I'm sure a lot has changed."

Aika let out a sharp laugh, almost appearing asleep with her eyes closed her her voice still slightly subdued. "Not as much as it feels like, more than I think. What about you, old man?"

"Well, I was transferred to the Western Earth Kingdom only a few months after you disappeared, kid. I only spent about a year and a half there before I was recruited to Zuko's crew. I've been here ever since, chasing a legend until-" He jokingly slapped his forehead in a "duh" motion, chuckling, "- the legend came to life."

Aika opened her eyes long enough to see him as she chuckled at the action, responding, "Sounds like you've been having fun. I've just been running across the continent practically aimlessly."

Jee asked, "Seen anything interesting?"

Aika shrugged. "Hey, you've seen one teenager floating in the air as he glows and destroys a temple by activating an inactive volcano, you've seen 'em all."

Jee laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, I never thought we'd actually _find_ the Avatar, though the volcano sounds interesting."

Aika frowned, obviously confused as to why her extremely odd and specific example hadn't elicited more surprise before remembering Jee was chasing the only living being who could do such a thing. "Yeah, I always thought that the Avatar had died out a long time ago, if he'd existed in the first place. I mean, the idea of someone who can control every element... it sounds like a children's fable."

Jee laughed, agreeing, "It sounded pretty outrageous when I saw him too." His voice suddenly turned sly, trying to be subtle. "So... what is the Avatar like?"

Aika smiled, her brand-new nostalgia for her short time with the Gaang managing to overshadow her guilt. "For one, you can call him Aang. Calling him 'the Avatar' makes him sound a lot more impressive than he is. The kid is goofy, naive, gullible, and ridiculously pacifistic. He doesn't even know how to bend half the elements, and it'd be generous to say he's a waterbender, considering he can barely make a wave so far. Still... I won't deny he's a good kid. His friends were pretty nice, too." She finally opened her eyes, gaze pointed at the deck, her emerald eyes less like steel and more like cooling aluminum- soft, malleable.

Jee's smile became softly, more heartfelt. "You really like them, huh?"

Aika laughed softly. "Yeah, I did. But I screwed it up," she said with a bittersweet, almost guilty laugh. "Just like me to do, huh?"

"Knock it off, Runner. You were the best messenger we ever had- ya never screwed that up."

"Are you sure? I disappeared in the middle of a war. I turned traitor, Jee."

Jee insisted, "You were a messenger, not a soldier."

"And does that matter? I was part of the army and I deserted." She shook her head, chuckling softly to herself. "Then again, I'm probably being melodramatic. But I've been wondering... what do you think of Princey?"

Jee hesitated, seeing how quickly she tried to segway from her own topic, yet he didn't want to linger on unpleasant thoughts if it was just going to make Aika stop talking. "Like I said, the kid's grown into his own well enough. He's still reckless, but he's got respect for his crew. I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate that." Grinning, he teased, "What, you like the boy?"

Aika scoffed, rolling her eyes. "His personality is poisonous and his perception of the world is a delirious lens of ridiculous hopes and open refusal to accept reality makes him entirely unable to function properly with everything around him. To be honest, I'm surprised he's still alive. Usually that kind of outlook will get you nothing but hell."

Jee shook his head. "Jeez, pessimistic much? What happened to the kiddo who used to preach to everyone who could hear about how she was going to be the greatest firebender to ever live?"

Aika's eyes seemed to darken, yet she managed to laugh. "She's out to lunch. Won't be back for a few weeks."

"Wow, what boss does she have? I'd love a lunch break long enough to go back home for a bit."

Aika suddenly chuckled. "Yeah, how's the wife? Still riding your ass about getting a bigger apartment?"

Jee laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Actually no, I got the money. I sent it home awhile back- now, she complains about how she wants grandkids." Still, there was a soft gleam to his eyes, obviously completely okay with her flow of letters.

Aika made a fake face of insult. "You are such a horrible man... Replacing me with a bird!"

Jee teased, "Hey, the hawk is faster over water!" For this, he earned a playful punch to the shoulder which was much harder than Jee was ready for, rubbing his arm, he asked, "What, still sore over that?"

"I'll make you sore, ya geezer!"

The two burst out laughing, Aika dropping off the ship's rail so not to risk falling off. As their laughter petered out, Jee smiled softly as he met her eyes again.

"It's good to know you're alive, kid. I missed ya."

Aika felt her ears heat up, rolling her eyes. "Don't get all sentimental on me, geezer. Your supposed to be an iron-hard soldier, right?"

Jee defended, "Like steel, ya little brat!" The two shared a smirk before another solider- the cook, Aika could tell- yelled, "Jee, get your ass in here! Cho got his arm stuck in the brig bars!"

Jee shrugged to Aika. "Duty calls." Turning, he jogged toward the cook. "How the hell'd he manage that?"

"Tosi dared him to reach in!"

"Of course- I'm comin'!" Jee quickly disappeared below deck, Aika left to lean on the rail alone. Letting out her breath, she turned around, eyes on the city.

 _People. Going about their lives, not aware of anything on this ship. How are we so divided even when we're so close? For all they know, we're here to claim this port for the Fire Nation. But... they go about their lives. I can't even remember what that's like..._

Shaking her head, Aika muttered to herself, "Stop mopping, damn it. It doesn't help."

She stood there for what seemed like minutes but was a handful of hours, the sun now at it's apex in the sky, simply watching the people as they moved through the market.

The sun warming the deck, it was after three hours that Iroh returned, a soldier staggering behind him with an armload of assorted junk that the general had picked up. Iroh grinning like a little child, he stopped by Aika as the soldier kept stumbling toward the lower deck. "Ah, Aika! You wouldn't believe how many wonderful treasures you can find in these sweet little shops!"

Aika laughed softly, standing straight. "Finally, I've been waiting for something to happen. I assume you had a fun time, Ge- Iroh?"

Iroh smiled gently, agreeing, "Yes, I always have a wonderful time in these little town shops. And you?"

"Eh, I got a bounty hunter friend of mine to agree to listen to our little search. We'll meet her in a pub later tonight."

The general arched his eyebrow. "You've made many friends- pirates, bounty hunters, princes-"

"Hothead isn't my friend," Aika coolly responded. "Sorry, but your nephew's a prick."

Iroh let out a sigh. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge."

"I'm not. I understand the guy just fine, and I've come to my conclusion. He's a hot-headed prince who thinks he knows how the world works, but is dead wrong."

"Would you care to tell me about this world order? I've always wondered how everything functions." His voice was filled with dry humor, obviously amused that she believed she understood everything.

Aika crossed her arms. "Your nephew thinks that he can do anything if he has determination and anger- you can't. We all have limits; well, he's already found his and won't accept it. There's no point playing nice about it. He seems to think that things are going to be the worst they ever had, then get better. Well sometimes, they just _don't get better._ It's as simple as that. Like a soldier I used to know said, 'it all burns in the end.'"

Iroh softly said, "One burnt house proves nothing."

Aika looked like she'd been hit between the eyes with a hammer, blinking with wide eyes at Iroh, mind racing as she tried to explain away to herself. _He doesn't know, he's just guessing, he couldn't possibly know, I didn't tell anyone, I didn't tell anyone, I swear-_

"I don't know what you're talking about." Aika managed to keep her voice decently level, but her facade was no match for Iroh's perception.

"Aika, a village burning to the ground isn't private news."

Aika looked away, guilt welling in her eyes, her scarred hand starting to ache. "... You remembered I was from Tetsu, huh?"

Iroh admitted, "One of the things I recalled well enough. I remember being worried when I heard about it burning."

Aika swallowed, but her mouth was already dry as a bone, her fingers dancing nervously on her rib cage. "You shouldn't. I was lucky."

"Lucky enough to make it out with a scar like that?" He gestured to her folded arm streaked with red, the girl quickly tucking her hand under her opposing arm. "Aika, you know very well that you can trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Iroh. It's that you don't want to know the things I've done, the lives on my conscience..." Aika seemed to be collapsing inward as her arms pulled tighter against her chest, as if she were folding herself into a box. "I just have to make up for my mistake." Before Iroh could get another word in, she dropped her hands to her side, an obviously forced smile on her lips. "I'm going to wander for a bit. I'll meet you and Princey at the bar on the outskirts of town to the west." Without another word, she trotted down the steps, quickly disappearing into the market.

Iroh let out a sigh, shaking his head as he walked back toward the lower deck.

* * *

Night was falling when Iroh and Zuko arrived at a small bar packed to the brim with an assortment of mismatched men and women. The two-story house was broken down, at least twice as many of the wooden tables broken as were still standing, most leaning against walls if they didn't stand. Colors from every country and everything in between were flashing as people laughed, drank, and played, though most eyes were on the center of the room.

The bounty hunter, June, sat in a chair across from an enormous man in red, the two arm-wrestling. June sat calmly as she chugged down a bottle of whiskey, the man straining against her slim arm. Finishing her drink, she slammed it down on the table and suddenly threw all her strength into the match, throwing the man five feet backwards, right to Iroh and Zuko's feet, the patrons tossing coins at June. Scowling down, the prince growled, "A ridiculous hole in the wall. Where the hell is Aika? She was supposed to be here to negotiate for me."

"Hey hey he-ey!" An arm slung around June's shoulder, Aika stood next to her, face lit bright red and grinning giddily. Her slurred voice was almost as much evidence of her intoxication as the half-empty bottle in her shaky hand, apparently having stolen a pair of emerald green fingerless evening gloves. "My girl takes another win! C'me on, boys! Can't ya fight like a woman?"

Giggling, she leaned against June as the bounty hunter smirked. Zuko could've sworn she looked... proud. "Alright sweetheart, why don't you take me if you're going to talk?"

Aika snorted, swaying. "My hand's fucked up enough wit'out messin' with you!" Raising her bottle, she shouted, "To June the bounty hunter, the badass bitch who'll leave ya drunk in the ditch while she gets rich!"

A playful cheer rose from the crowd, drinks rising into the air before quickly lowering to the thirsty mouths below.

Zuko was having trouble processing what he saw- his image of Aika kept getting entirely shattered every time he saw her. First she was cunning and loyal, then she was strong and traitorous, and now, she was a drunken mess of laughter. Her personality was so odd, he wouldn't have even been surprised if she was like this when she wasn't drunk.

Aika suddenly saw him, grinning. "'Ey, Hothead! Come to join the party? Two more drinks for my friends, Calli!"

The woman behind the crowded bar shouted back, "You don't have any money, hybrid!"

"Aw, come on Cal!"

"My name is Pauli."

Zuko's patience ran short, stepping forward. "Enough, we're not here to drink. We're here to talk." Narrowed eyes on June, he asked, "You can find anybody?"

June chuckled, smirk still present. "If the price is right, Angry Boy."

Zuko seemed to fume at the nickname, yet simply insisted, "I need to find someone, and quickly."

June held up a hand in a stopping gesture. "Hold on a sec, kid." Gathering her coins into a pile on the table, she stood. "Drinks are on me, guys!" A roar of a cheer rose from the crowd, Pauli groaning behind the bar.

Aika patted Zuko shoulder sympathetically as he glared. "Sorry Headhot, but until she's finished, you're gonna get ignored."

Zuko let out an annoyed groan. "You're drunk, you idiot."

Aika chuckled. "Hey hey hey, don't say it like an insult. Alcohol doesn't like it when ya shit talk 'er."

Iroh, who'd been having an in-depth conversation with a nearby cluster of what appeared to be female pirates, a gray-haired woman with a viper bat curled around her neck like a scarf winking at the old man as he walked back toward the others. The general quickly found his way to the two teens around the once-again drinking June. Eyeing the grinning Aika with obvious concern, he asked, "Exactly how long have you been here?"

Aika held her hand in front of her, flicking up one finger at a time while apparently counting mental with difficulty. "Uh... Maybe an hour? I dunno, how long does it take to drink two bottle?"

Zuko gave Aika a disgusted glare as Pauli yelled, "Ya mean three, kid!"

"Ah yeah, that thing."

June took down yet another shot, coolly answering, "She's been here since noon, according to Darin. I cut her off at this bottle and she's been making it last." Standing, she let out a sigh. "Come on, sweetheart. You dumbass..." Grabbing Aika by the arm, she tugged the girl toward the back door, everyone parting for the bounty hunter, Iroh and Zuko following close behind.

Getting outside, they could see that the woman's shirshu a pile of fur as it snored behind the bar. June releasing Aika, the girl stood tall suddenly, running a hand through her hair as she adjusted the tie at the bottom of her braid. "Jeez, I hate pulling that shit." Tossing the bottle aside, Aika disdainfully glared at the alcohol stains on her sleeves. "You'd think a bar full of misfits would treat a mutt better."

Zuko blinked in confusion, demanding, "What are- wait, were you _faking_ being drunk? Why?"

Aika rolled her eyes. "You obviously don't understand the intricacies of society, Princey. I'm a mutt- we are seen on a whole as dangerous traitors or pathetic schmucks. I chose to play the schmuck so I didn't have so many suspicious eyes on me. So I sipped some whiskey to make my head spin a bit at the start, then dumped some behind my back when they weren't looking. Now, are you done playing so we can get to business? I made an appointment with a busy woman just for you Hothead, so you might want to appreciate it."

The two shared a glare for a moment before Zuko turned back toward June. "I need your help to find someone."

Aika reached to her side, pulling Katara's necklace from her pocket. "I've got something that'll help you track her down." Raising the necklace, she let it swing like a pendulum between her fingers. "So, what d'you say? Princey here can pay you good gold." Taking a second look at her, Zuko had to reconsider his previous thoughts- from how her voice still slurred and her unfocused eyes, it was obvious that she'd had a bit more alcohol than she thought.

June arched an eyebrow as she stroked Nyla's snout. "I figured from the boat than you had some cash. What, lose your girlfriend?"

Zuko insisted, "It's not the girl, it's the bald monk she's traveling with."

June arched an eyebrow. "Sounds like a story- but that's not my job. How much you got?"

Iroh happily agreed, "We can pay your weight in gold!"

June smirked as she sidled up to the general, poking a finger at his stomach. "Make it _your_ weight, and we've got a deal."

Iroh let out a good-natured laugh. "You got it!"

June nodded, walking back to the shirshu and easily leaping into the saddle. "Get on."

Iroh and Zuko followed her as Aika walked to the beast's head, gently stroking her fur as she muttered, "Shh, it's okay, baby. You remember me? Of course you do, you never forget a smell. But I've got a new one for you- be careful with this lot." Zuko and Iroh on the creature's long back behind June, Aika held the necklace in front of Nyla's nose, its pink nose twitching as it caught the scent. Immediately stepping back, Aika gave a mocking salute. "See you when you've got a prize, Hothead."

June managed to hold back the shirshu from taking off immediately as Zuko scowled. "Fine. I thought you wanted your end of the deal fulfilled-"

"Oh stop being so dramatic Princey," Aika rolled her eyes, hands on her hips. "I'm slightly drunk, tired, and I don't feel like fighting. So no, I'm not coming. Besides, I promised to find you a way to follow- I never said anything about helping with the dirty part."

June called, "Stagger home safe, sweetheart!" The hybrid walking off toward the town, June loosed her grip on the reins, Nyla dashing forward rapidly in a blur of brown.

Zuko demanded, "How do you even know her?"

June rolled her eyes. "That's her story to tell, not mine pretty boy. Now shut up and let me focus."

* * *

Aika wandered back onto the ship, collapsing in her cabin, prepared for the incoming hangover of dawn as she quickly fell asleep. Night came and went- and so did most of the morning before Aika managed to open her eyes. Head aching numbly, she sat up and looked around with bored curiosity. "Where... Oh, I did make it back."

She spent a few minutes looking around, rubbing her temples and trying to get rid of the rest of the mess in her head. Pulling herself up, she walked through the darkened halls, past the soldiers gambling with pai sho pieces replacing money, noting how Jee was completely out of the game as she walked past. Blinking in the sunlight, she turned her eyes to the market by the docks.

Walking down the ramp, she avoided thinking of the day before, of how she'd aimed straight for the bar, never stopping in the town like she'd claimed to, forcing herself to focus on getting there and waiting for June. Now, she had to force herself to focus on gaining information.

Hair over her notched ear and tugging her slightly oversized stolen gloves back up to her elbows before walking into the town, her voice straining to be welcoming. Her results- underwhelming. Wading through painful small talk, she found out there was going to be a wedding soon from the fruit merchant and heard about an upcoming festival from a cabbage merchant.

"The nearest colony is celebrating Fire Lord Day," the old man had grumbled as he glanced around as if expecting a monster to come out and attack his product. "Dassō-sha, I think it's called. I'd be careful if you went, though. Fire Nation deserters seem to be gravitating toward the place."

Aika quickly moved on without another thought to it. After an hour of less than success, she wandered back to the ship, barely drilling her bending for half an hour before an angry Zuko pounded up the steps, reeking of perfume, Iroh far behind on the docks.

Pausing, Aika smirked with hands on her hips. "I see you had a good mission. What, the Avatar in your back pocket?"

"Shut up!" Zuko stormed past, Aika gagging as the full scent hit her, bending over with hands on her knees as she coughed. "Oh fu- what the hell happened to you? You smell like twenty different women were rubbing shoulders with you. Considering that human repellent of a personality you have, I find that hard to believe."

Zuko whirled on her, eyes still burning from the perfume that had drenched him and gotten in his face, only adding to the blurriness that sometimes plagued his right eye. His anger was boiling over even before getting back, but Aika's comments were only making it worse. Flames burst from his fists as they jerked from his sides downward, scorching the deck as he yelled the only cards he could pull against her. "Just go back to your one-handed bending and shut up already, mutt!"

Aika's eyes narrowed to angry slits, fists tightening, fingernails digging into the cloth of her gloves. "Don't push your luck, Princey. It's not my fault you screwed up the set-up I gave you. How did you even mess that up? I showed you to a woman and her pet who could literally track _anything, anywhere!_ And you come back empty-handed."

Zuko felt his rage and frustration burning too strong to control, pacing toward Aika rapidly, fire daggers in his hands, Aika shifting into a defensive stance. Just before they could collide, Iroh arrived, stepping between them as Zuko lashed forward and Aika moved to block, grabbing both their wrists. Quickly twisting, Aika yelped as Iroh twisted precisely, forcing them to each back up a step without harm.

The ex-general swiftly ordered, "Enough! You will not fight anymore- there's no need!" Aika seemed willing enough to accept this, lowering her arms though she still looked ready to dodge if Zuko decided he needed to let off some flames- which he seemed to be open to. Iroh looked to the boy, insisting, "Nephew, you're tired. We walked long- go, a man needs his rest."

Zuko glared at the two before letting out an annoyed huff and turning around rapidly, disappearing down into the lower levels in seconds.

Letting out a sigh, Iroh turned to Aika. "Why you insist on goading him, I will never understand."

Aika shrugged. "Just part of my own human repellent, I s'ppose." Aika noticed the strong stench of perfume hadn't faded with Zuko's depart. "What happened to you guys? Where's June?" She really couldn't round up worry- she was too confident in the woman's ability.

Iroh quickly explained, "The Avatar proved too creative- a large amount of perfume was spilled. I'm afraid the beautiful June's mount was overwhelmed by the scent. Here, I have a sample!" Grinning, the old man produced a small vial from his pocket.

Chuckling, Aika waved a hand through the air. "I think I've got a good sample just from being next to you, Iroh. But June's alright?"

"Yes, she went after her beast last I saw."

Aika smirked. "That'll be a first. I've never seen her have to go after Nyla. Aang must've gotten you good." Brushing her hair behind her ear, she looked at the sun, nearly at its peak. "Well, we should start moving, before 'his majesty' gets pissy we're not catching up."

Iroh shook his head, eyes serious. "Aika, you should know how you should be careful with words."

"It's not the words that matter, Iroh- just the intent. Now, I'm off to the helm." Jogging off, she quickly reached the top, the soldiers finally finished up with their game, the helmsman returned to his post. "Hey- Cho, right? How's the arm? Great- anyway, we need to keep moving up the western coast, full speed."

The helmsman, Cho, blinked at the rapid-fire as he slowly processed her words. "Uh, I'm afraid I can only accept orders from the general or the prince."

Aika rolled her eyes. "And where else would we be going when the Avatar is moving northwest, genius? Jeez, it's no surprise you got stuck in a set of bars. Do or don't, it doesn't matter to me. But when Princey comes up all pissy 'cause we haven't gotten anywhere, it's not on me."

Walking out, she left Cho as pale as a man with his arm stuck between bars.

It wasn't five minutes later Jee walked out with several other crewmen, walking over to the girl. "You lit a nice fire under Cho's ass, Runner. Ya mind helping an old man with aching bones?"

Aika winked. "It's only responsible to help a senior citizen isn't it?"

The two moved to the lowered bow ramp, Aika already aware of the procedure- a wide crank along the ship's rail attached to a power winch below deck. Two people, even one without much raw strength, were more than enough to get the bow up given a few minutes.

The two side by side and rubbing shoulders, they latched onto the handle and began turning it, the bow creaking as it slowly raised higher. The constant rolling of the winch and chains twisting breaking through the air and the engine starting to roar below them, Aika barely noticed as Zuko walked back out onto the deck, eyes flicking across the ship. "Where is my Uncle?"

Aika glanced over her shoulder at the dull whisper of his voice she could make out, missing his words. "What-"

The bow, fully reeled up, jolted against the ship as it locked into place, Aika having to quickly lash out a hand to lean against the rail to keep from falling over.

With that, her luck entirely ran out.

The anchor already raised, the propellers kicked in entirely in a sudden jolt, Aika's balance still wary as her momentum swung forward, the girl toppling over the edge of the ship with a splash.

Zuko seemed surprised but mostly unconcerned, Jee's eyes bulging. "Shit, Runner!" His eyes tore across the water's surface, the ripples expanding, the water too far below to see. "Aika?!"

Zuko scowled. "Just throw her a line, Jee."

Jee whirled, insisting, "She's not up yet, and last I knew her, she couldn't swim!"

Urgency set in quickly, Zuko rushing to the side, looking down. The ripples faded, yet nothing broke the surface. Zuko's previous anger for Aika faded as his instinct took over. He swiftly climbed the rail and ordered, "Toss down a line!" as he dove into the water, the ship still slowly crawling away.

White bubbles blinded him for a few seconds, though it was easy to see her once they rose away. Not far below him, her hair floated loose, clutching her arms to her chest, eyes squeezed shut.

Zuko quickly latched onto her arm, towing her as he swiftly kicked upward, eyes catching on the line across the water's surface- the rope. Free hand latching onto it, they broke the surface, gasping for air though Aika wouldn't open her eyes. Zuko let out an annoyed growl, having to shift his grip to around her waist since she was seemingly non-functional. The rope quickly pulling upward, they were pulled out of the water, heaved over the edge of the rail. Jee and two other crewman standing over them, Zuko panted as he knelt.

Eyes closed as he gained his breath back, he couldn't wait to snap, "The hell- The hell was that? You can't swim, but you can't even pull yourself together long enough to help even a little?"

Glancing over to glare, the anger stalled as he saw her- on all fours except her right still held to her chest, head on the deck, panting heavily, similar to a drowned elephant-rat, and shaking roughly, she had no response. Thoughts fluttered through his mind: watching the Avatar pull her from the sea in a storm, Aika's horrifying eyes when he'd interrupted her drilling, her heartbreak when he'd mentioned her inability to bend with one arm.

Jee knelt beside Aika, worry flooding his voice. "Runner? Come on, kid. Say something." He reached out, fingers barely brushing her shoulders before she jumped at the touch like he'd burnt her, sitting up suddenly. Her fingers were dug into her chest, the skin white and her hand seemingly unwilling to release, her unruly hair draped over her face.

The few seconds of silence were like eternity: no one dared say anything, afraid to move for fear of another reaction.

Suddenly, she was laughing; weak, shaking, but laughing. Her right hand still on her chest, her free hand shoved her hair away from her face, face red and slick with seawater. "S-Sorry, Princey... I-I've never been a great swimmer."

Zuko almost could've accepted it- if it weren't for the two streaks of water running down her faces, distinct from the rest. Her free hand pulling on her right, she pried it away carefully, failing to be subtle. "Didn't mean to worry you, boys." Patting Zuko's shoulder, she still wouldn't meet his eyes as she joked weakly, "Good news Hothead: the swim did your odor some favors."

Aika starting to stand, Jee reached out to help her, Aika quickly brushing him off despite swaying on her feet. "I'm fine, geezer. I just had a rough landing- face first is my least favorite way to hit the water." Wringing out her hair, she still kept her gaze to herself, taking deep breaths, exhaling slight bursts of steam as she started to relight her extinguished inner flame.

Zuko pushed to his feet, entirely aware of how she was trying to hide her panic. Despite all previous anger, his conscience wouldn't allow watching someone suffer. "Jee, get her to-"

"No need, Princey." Aika waved a hand at him, walking off. "I took a dunk, not a sword to the chest. I-I'll be fine a bit." Aika slipping below deck, there wasn't much they could do to argue.

Staggering through the halls, she leaned against walls to her cabin, slamming the door closed and quickly collapsing into the fetal position in the farthest corner, head between her legs, glaring at her scarred hand as she muttered incoherently to herself.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open, Aika unable to rearrange herself into a less condemning position before Iroh poked his head in with a blanket in his arms. "Aika?"

The hybrid, closing her eyes and still with her legs to her chest, seemed entirely ashamed, contrite. "... I don't suppose you'd forgot you ever saw me like this?"

Iroh, slipping in with the door halfway open, walked forward, draping the blanket over her shoulders before sitting down cross-legged across from her. "Not when you need help. What's going, Aika? What's _really_ going on?"

Aika sighed, letting her legs fall from her chest to bend below her, pulling the cloth tighter around her. Glaring at her right hand, she softly said, "He tried to drown me, that day."

Iroh gently asked, "Zhao?"

A weak nod. "I never thought... He'd always seemed strict, but fair. I didn't think..." Her voice cracked, letting out her breath with a soft puff of white. "Do you know why I really hate Zhao, Iroh? Before he ever burnt down my home? Because he hated me for something I couldn't control. He hated me for sharing his blood and disgracing him."

Iroh's eyes widened, realization dawning. So many puzzle pieces connected, the mystery practically dissolving. "You're his..."

Aika looked like she was going to start crying, eyes shining. "... Yeah. I-I joined the military looking for him. For two years, I never told him, wanting to prove I was good enough. I came home from your siege with a small award and little me was sooo proud..." She let out a bitter laugh that sounded more like a choked sob. "I thought it was enough. I told him... I told my father who I was... And he said he loved me. He said he wanted to get to know me, that we should walk together... So we did. We walked, and talked, and it was the best few minutes of my life." She couldn't stop the tears anymore.

"And then, once we were far enough from the fort, he attacked me."

Her arm seemed to burn with the same agony, the smell of burning skin and ozone seeming to return. "I was a prodigy... I had dreams to be the greatest firebender who ever lived, of being someone who had a single loving parent... And it was shattered with a single blast of lightning." Hand moving to her head, her fingers dug into her scalp as she leaned into her palm, voice cracking. "He threw me in the river, left me to die! W-Why... I don't know..." Her cracking voice turned to laughter again, yet this wasn't as bitter. The laughter had become hysterical, as if she'd lived eternity asking a question to which she knew every other creature had the answer to but wouldn't share. "What did I do wrong? Why did I deserve this?"

Arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, eyes wide in confusion and a relieved comfort- it was temporary, but it felt _safe._ She hadn't felt like that in years.

Iroh's voice was barely a whisper, still holding her close. " _Never_ think that it was your fault, Aika. You never should've had to face such a fate."

Aika, forehead leaned on Iroh's shoulder, softly asked, "What was it if not my fault? Everything... it's always been me."

Iroh pulled away only to put his hands on her shoulders, holding her at arms length. "Some things, but everything? It's impossible. You cannot carry the world on your shoulders- not for more than a few minutes. Instead, carry what you can of yourself, and pick up others when you can."

Aika nodded numbly, an ashamed reluctance in her eyes. "I-I can try." Glancing away, she took a deep breath. "I think it's best if I get off at the next port."

Iroh's eyes filled with sorrow, but he softly said, "If that's the path you have to follow, then go."

"It's best," she assured, yet Iroh could see why. She was embarrassed to have shown so much weakness, rolling her guilt around in her mind all over again. But he knew he couldn't try and hold her. It wasn't his place.

"Where will you go?"

Aika's thoughts turned to the cabbage merchant from before, making a connection she'd been too hung over to make before. "I think an old friend is nearby. I think I should talk to him before I go any further."

Iroh nodded, standing. "You will always have a place here if you want it."

Aika nodded. "And I'm truly grateful." Letting out a soft sigh, she glanced to the floor, raising her weak voice. "I hope you two enjoyed story time over there!"

At the door, a soft sound like armor hitting metal echoed as a soft grunt resounded, Zuko glaring at a fallen Jee. Before either could make an excuse, Aika simply said, "That's all the backstory for today, kids. Close the door before you go to bed."

Iroh slipping out, he couldn't bring himself to even chide Zuko and Jee, too many thoughts roaming his mind.

In her cabin, Aika sat cross-legged, staring blankly at her scarred hand, tracking the lightning scars, gently tracing their branches as she whispered. "Soon, Zhao. You're going to answer for everything."

 **Dassō-sha = The Deserter**

 **So yeah, that got a lot more revealing than I intended it to be, but hey, I'm sure you guys are okay with that, and I have much more mystery left! Next chapter's going to be the most plot-pointed yet, so get pumped, guys!**

 **Please review!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Deserters

**Okay, this is absolutely incredible.**

 **The reception to the last chapter was above all my expectations! I mean, holy shit, NINE REVIEWS! This is absolutely insane and I love it so much! Thank you to every one of you who reads, whether you follow/favorite or not- though there's a special place in my cold, dead heart for those of you who do! I feel so alive when I read you amazing reception, and it's the greatest feeling in the world to know you all can love these characters, mine or not, just the way I do! Thank you so much for everything you do for me and this story, and thank you to those who have been here since the beginning, since yesterday, and everything in between!**

 **antisocialfox: I'm glad my twist was a surprise to most of you, and welcome to the hell that is The Fire in Her Blood!**

 **Angelica: I hope to continue blowing your mind for another- I dunno, sixty chapters?**

 **Guest: Awwww, thank you so much! Your praise is really appreciate, and I love that you picked up on a few of my smaller writing techniques!**

 **Kmbrun: You may now find out who the old friend is, and don't worry, she knows many more people!**

 **KnightOwl: Yes yes, you called it! My attempts to throw you off were completely thwarted! Aw well, you're still enjoying the characters, and that's what really matters! And yes, romance will develop, but not for a long time! For now, they're the two kids in the backseat of the car on a family vacation, poking each other when Papa Iroh isn't looking. Thank you for your continued support! It really means a lot!**

 **Ryo: I believe the correct word is "savagery." As to Zhao, I won't give anything away, but I guarantee that they'll have some good interaction soon!**

 **Momochan: I'm happy I could surprise you, and don't worry, there'll be more Aika/June interaction! As to Zuko... well, you'll see in a few paragraphs!**

 **Thanks to Znkp and Mogor for reviewing!**

Chapter 11: The Deserters

The sun was already high as Aika stood on the ship deck, pack slung over her shoulder as she looked at the town beside her. The docks expansive, it was obvious this was a larger colony than what she was used to- the second largest Fire Nation colony, Dassō-sha. The festival was already in full swing, kites in the likeness of dragons and birds fluttering in the air while the people moved about their day between the brilliant decorations hung everywhere. The air heavy with the scent of spices and burning ash trees releasing a smell similar to vanilla. Despite the levity in the air, Aika's expression was grim, eyes dark as she stood still as a statue on the deck, white knuckles clenched tightly around the strap for her pack.

Jee stood beside her, arms crossed. "I get it, Runner. I really do- I mean, shit... I didn't know what Zhao did, what he would do... But leaving isn't going to help."

Aika insisted firmly, "It will, Jee. This ship... I haven't gotten a single whiff of Zhao since I joined up. I had more success when I was walking." Letting out a humorless laugh Jee was sure was for his benefit, she winked. "He seems to be a bit wary of ol' Princey."

Jee argued, "And that's a good reason to stay! Kid, I heard about Pohuai. In fact, every soldier from here to Ba Sing Se knows- not a damn one is going to let you near Zhao anymore. We're your best shot-"

"Not worth it, Jee," the girl cut in, eyes still on the city. "No one can stop me anymore, Jee. I refuse to be stopped, regardless of who stands in my way. I kill Zhao and it's look over- my own personal hell can burn itself off and I'll be free to live the way I want to."

Jee sighed, shaking his head. "You're just being bull-headed now."

"I like to call it determination."

"Call it what you will, it'll get you killed," the grayed soldier rubbed his nose, sighing. "I can't help worrying, Runner. You're a good kid- I couldn't stand it if you got killed for this. Hell, you should've seen us look for you when you disappeared-" Jee was cut off as Aika wrapped her arms around him, forehead on his shoulder, eyes closed for fear of letting too much emotion gain power over her.

Jee returned the hug, the girl's voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry, Jee. I never meant to hurt you, or anyone. I promise, I'm going to be okay."

Jee scoffed. "You'd better, or I'll kill you myself."

They both laughed as they pulled apart, not noticing Iroh and Zuko had emerged from the lower deck.

Zuko watched this display, his vision of Aika once again adjusted. After the previous day... he really wasn't sure what to make of her anymore. She'd been a miserable pain in the ass for him... but knowing what she'd been through, what she'd fought through, he couldn't help the empathy he felt. He knew what it was like to have a parent hurt you- though he still held to the belief his father had done it to teach him. It was obviously different between Aika and Zhao. It seemed more... malicious between them, their interaction while he'd been the Blue Spirit all the proof he needed. Even their respective scars seemed to hold different intent- as much as he hated the ringing that sometimes plagued his hearing, the blurriness in his left eye, the ache that sometimes made his head pound- it wasn't anything against losing part of your bending. He simply couldn't imagine having part of something that defined him suddenly being ripped away.

Yet despite this, he still couldn't bring himself to... _like_ her. No matter how sympathetic she seemed, nothing about her made sense. Her antagonizing attitude toward him, her laid-back persona while fighting, her sudden rage whenever she looked at Zhao. It was annoying enough that she was so hostile, but it was just salt in the wound that he couldn't even understand what he was facing. Of all the things he hated, one of them was being faced with something he didn't know how it functioned. After spending several days with Aika and coming away with knowledge of her background, but even more confused than before as to what to think of her, his frustration was starting to itch. He had to think it was best she leave, against his better judgement that he should keep her around to track the Avatar. Still, he knew where the boy was going now- he just had to find some way to head him off.

Iroh stepped forward, Aika prepared for a handshake as he suddenly engulfed her in a hug. Aika blinking blankly in confusion, she quickly adjusted, returning the gesture. The old man softly advised, "Be careful, Aika. You're aware the colonies are dangerous." Something went unsaid in this: dangerous for _you._

Aika smirked, assuring, "I'll be fine, Iroh. I've been wandering the world for five years now, after all." The two separating, Aika walked over to Zuko, eyes clouded and her expression suddenly unreadable. Zuko legitimately couldn't tell whether she'd smirk or slap him- to his surprise, she extended a hand. "Watch out for the people who watch out for you, Highness."

Zuko, skeptical as he was of her, accepted the gesture, only for her to turn his hand so his palm faced downward, bowing and kissing his hand. Zuko immediately yanked his hand back in annoyance as she winked. "Take care, Princess."

With a mocking salute and a chuckle, she backed away, not turning her back until she'd passed Iroh and Jee, facing forward as she trotted down the ramp, throwing a back-handed wave over her shoulder. "Keep your eyes on the news- when you hear about Zhao, that's my letter telling you I'm fine and going home forever."

The three stood on the deck, all at various levels of irritation, worry, and curiosity- no one could deny they wanted to know how this would end.

Jee didn't look to Iroh as he asked, "You saw her spar the other day- do you believe she's capable?"

Iroh sighed. "She's strong- but her emotions cloud her judgement, especially now. She left because she was ashamed, after all. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do at this time. For now... patience is the key."

Jee sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "That's never been my strong suit, but I'll give it a shot. The kid's worth it."

Zuko scowled, whirling around toward the helm. "We're wasting time talking- we have to find the Avatar."

Jee nodded. "Of course, Prince-" The lieutenant bit his tongue, very nearly using Aika's nickname. It was going to be... different, though she hadn't been around for long.

Aika strode across the docks, hiking her gloves back up to her elbows before she dared enter the town. The loose strands of her braid cast over her notched ear, she took a deep breath as she dove into the crowds of citizens swirling throughout the crowd. Looking around, she saw perhaps one hundred people wandering around the street- all prime targets for a little pickpocketing.

Sitting down on a bench near a fruit stand, she watched couples walk past, children running and giggling happily, even patrolling soldiers watching for trouble. Aika would've gladly sat and done nothing, yet she was already getting wary glances for her green clothes. It wasn't like Earth Kingdom citizens were banned- they simply avoided the colonies, and almost all of the colonists still wore their homeland's colors exclusively.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, she reached into her pack, pulling out one of her few belongings- the tattered red sash, years of stains and dirt still tinting the red to grey in certain spots. Wrapping the sash around her waist, she got a few suspicious looks from the passerby, but for the most part it was better for her. Watching Zuko's ship pull away, she quickly diverted her attention back to obtaining her next meal and move along.

Her eyes settled on a small noodle stop- a simple table with red banners and white paper cut and hung from the sides, several rows of what she recognized as noodles and roast duck. Her mouth starting the water as she smirked, she stood with a deep breath, settling on the method she decided to use.

Striding forward, the booth was fairly busy, a small line gathered around them. Walking up to the side, next to the line, a few would-be patrons complained at her as she leaned against the table, her hands only a few inches from one of the bowls. The once smiling woman behind the booth shot her an irritated glare, ordering, "You'll have to wait in line to eat here!"

Aika filled her voice with worry, glancing around nervously. "I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but have you seen a little boy? Brown hair, gold eyes, probably running? My little brother was supposed to meet me here before the market opened!" Her fingers creeping across the table slowly, they brushed the side of a bowl, as the woman let out a sigh.

"No, I haven't- I'm sorry, but I need you to move along."

Aika let out a worried sigh, gesturing with her free hand to the line. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." The woman turning her attention back toward the front of the line, Aika's fingers tugged the bowl toward her, the bowl sliding off the table only for her to hold out her sash, catching it soundlessly without spilling a single noodle. Walking slowly away, she ducked into an alley with a smirk as she pulled the bowl from her sash, plopping down against the wall and picking out a chunk of roast duck, popping it in her mouth. Letting out a satisfied hum, she chuckled as she used her fingers as makeshift chopsticks, curling the noodles around her fingers, quickly finishing the bowl.

Setting it on the ground, she looked around, her mind thrumming with possibilities. _Alright... if he's really nearby, getting in a bit of trouble should be all it takes to draw him out. But what to do..._

Eyes settling on a passing pair of soldiers, a devious smirk spreading across her lips. "Let's disturb the peace."

Standing, she walked straight toward them, purposefully shoving the hair away from her notched ear. Walking forward, she winked at a soldier as she passed him. "Hello, private."

The soldier gave her a confused look, seeming to care very little until his partner beside him nudged his side, eyes flicking to the triangle out of her ear. Suddenly, confusion turned to suspicion as Aika honed in on a pair of teens walking happily with hands intertwined. With no tact or shame, her hand snaked into the boy's pocket and snagged a coin between each finger as she drew it out, not bothering to brush shoulders to distract him from her sticky fingers. Feeling the touch, he immediately turned with protest as Aika took off. "Hey! She stole my money!"

The soldiers raced after her, one yelling, "Get back here, mutt!"

Aika waved her prizes over her head as she ran. "Gotta catch me first, dumbasses!" Most of the crowd parted for her and the soldiers, trying to stay out of it and enjoy their festival, though Aika had to dodge a handful citizens too slow or hoping to be helpful, the soldiers having to shove them aside.

The hybrid's eyes flicked across the crowd as she ducked under an old woman's armful of groceries, starting to feel worry bloom in her chest. She didn't have much longer before she reached the docks, and from there she had few options for escape. Vaulting a wheelbarrow of vegetables and only a block until she reached the docks, the soldiers two behind her, Aika was about ready to ditch her plan and find a nice hiding place for a few minutes. It was then she saw a man in a black cloak in the opposing alley, gesturing for her to come toward him.

Veering toward the stranger, he didn't stop to chat- the moment she reached him, he took off down the alley, the two quickly weaving through the thin lines between houses, quickly losing the soldiers. Still, the man never slowed down, quickly leading her out of the city and into the forest to the west.

Skidding to a stop, he immediately held a knife toward her, apparently still wary. "Alright, no further 'til-"

"Fai, what the hell?" Aika crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow. "It's been what, four years?"

The boy wavered, yanking the hood off his head. Scruffy brown hair hanging over his dark eyes, the boy couldn't have been much older than her, if at all- not to mention handsome in his emerald green clothes. The only thing that seemed out of place was the bandages that wrapped around his forehead and over his right ear, wrapping around the back of his head. Eyes wide, his knife hand wavered for a moment. "Wait, Aik'?"

The girl tugged her glove down, showcasing the red scars on her arm for a few seconds before fixing the garment. "In the flesh. So, how about we go to your camp?"

Lowering his knife, the boy- Fai- inquired, "How did'ya find out about-"

"Frickin' hell, how do you think? It's me Fai, I know everything. Shall we?"

Fai slowly nodded, chuckling as he turned around, jogging off with Aika close behind. "Ya never change, do ya Aik?"

"Not on my life. How long have you guys been in the area?"

Fai shrugged. "Eh, a few months? I dunno, we don't exactly try da keep track these days. It's mostly just dodging da colonies da the armies."

Aika nodded. "I know what you mean. How's your dad doing?"

Fai smirked, chuckling. "As good as 'e can, while we're on da run. Mum's still pretty ticked dat we haven't settled like Paps promised."

"I hear Ba Sing Se is nice this time of year."

Fai snorted. "If you don't mind the Dai Lee, sure. Nah, Mum wants ta find a nice little place in Gaoling, but dat's not happenin' any time soon. Not while Paps is calling da shots."

"Isn't dat the truth." Aika blinked at realizing within a few minutes of seeing her old friend again, she'd fallen back into her old speech patterns from before her time in the army. Back when she lived in Tetsu-

They emerged from the trees into a clearing protected by the trees, several grass huts scattered across the empty hillside. A handful of men in primitive clothes of grass and leaves wandered between, Fai giving them very little thought as he waved to Aika. "C'mon, I know ya wanna talk to 'im!"

Aika followed close behind, the natives shooting them wary glances but nothing more. Skidding to a stop at the largest hut, he stopped outside next to the door. "'e's right in 'ere."

Aika nodded, patting his shoulder. "Thanks, Fai. I owe ya one." Brushing aside the grass mat hanging as a door, she stepped into the dark single-room.

The walls didn't seem to exist, the only light coming from a dozen candles that never stirred in a half-circle before a white-haired man. Sitting with legs crossed over each other, he sat with eyes closed, the two parallel scars beside his right eye creased as his face bent in concentration.

"... Jeong Jeong. It's good to see you again." The girl looked intently on the man, seeming to look for answers in his face.

His hand twitched ever so slightly toward her as his low, calm voice boomed a single word. "Sit."

Aika immediately obeyed, quickly bending her legs into the same position as his. Sitting patiently, she simply watched Jeong Jeong for any sign, any reaction.

It was half an hour before the man spoke again, still unmoving besides his mouth. "Where have you been?"

Aika softly responded, "Everywhere I _could_ go. Ba Sing Se, Gaoling, Kyoshi- I'm currently moving toward the North Pole, actually."

"And have you found what you seek?"

Aika's voice suddenly turned soft, ashamed. "No. I haven't yet." Silence set in. It was several minutes before either dared to speak, Aika letting out a frustrated breath. "Will you say something? Anything? I know how you felt about my mission when I left, and I understand you're probably angry, but please. Something?"

It took a few seconds, the candles flickering for a moment as Jeong Jeong finally opened his eyes. "I have little to say to you that I haven't said before. If it did not convince you the first time I spoke those words, it will not help you now."

Aika let out a nearly desperate laugh, as if she saw the irony of her own life and could see the humor in the pain. "I suppose I've always been stubborn."

Jeong Jeong let out a quiet scoff. "Stubborn? You are reckless and apathetic toward your own life."

Aika asked, "And why wouldn't I be? I'm not anyone important- just one of hundreds of mutts wandering the world. It's not like my life would be missed more than any other."

Jeong Jeong didn't bother with reassurance or comfort- he'd faced the world's harsh reality, seen it for what it was. What little good he'd seen didn't include a place in the world for the people like Aika. "I hope you did not come here for pity."

Aika smiled, closing her eyes. "I know you better than that. If I tried to throw a pity party within twenty miles of you, you'd sit me down to do breathing exercises for a month."

"You'd be lucky if it was only one month. The world will show you no mercy, and lamenting this will not give you strength to endure."

Aika agreed, "I know, Master. I know."

"You still call me Master, though you abandoned my teachings?"

Aika couldn't bring herself to sound remorseful- she truly wanted to feel regret over turning her back, but all the guilt she could feel was about her own unfeeling on the subject. "Our morals conflicted then, and I don't think that's changed. You see your bending as a curse- I see it a blessing."

Jeong Jeong asked, "And you have not come to your senses?"

Aika took a deep breath. "Not in the way you want me to. I just came because..." She opened her eyes, fingers fidgeting with her sash. "I needed your advice. It's been five years of non-stop hunting, just chasing Zhao across the country... I've been trying so hard, I'm hurting people." Aika ran a hand through her hair, her barely together braid coming entirely loose. "I'm betraying people, going against everything I believe for this... Is it even worth it? I have no guarantee that this will actually work. For all I know, I'm doing this for absolutely nothing!" She let out another laugh, this one different- still desperate, but now it was slightly crazed and pained, her eyes wide with a numbed horror. Horror at all she'd done, all the time she'd spent.

"Have I hurt people I could've called friends for revenge I'm not sure will even help me?"

Jeong Jeong didn't speak, though his flames began to flicker and sway on the wicks. After several seconds of silence, Aika slammed a fist into the ground, fire flickering around her hand as she did, the candles flaring up several feet as she growled, "Say _something!"_

Hanging her head, the flames returned to normal as she barely whispered, "Please. I need to know I didn't ruin this too..."

It was several seconds before Jeong Jeong let out an annoyed grumble. "You should control your temper. You look like your father when you do not maintain your calm."

Aika's fingernails dug into her palms as she asked, "Will you just answer me, or should I just take that as you really don't care?"

Jeong Jeong scoffed. "You've always been over-dramatic. You are welcome to stay, but I will not teach you as I did before."

"That isn't what I asked you."

"That is what I chose to answer."

Pushing to her feet, Aika shook her head. "You're kind of impossible. You know that, right?"

"I was unaware."

"Well, I'll leave you to your brooding. I won't be here for more than a day, so don't worry, _Master."_

Moving to the exit, her fingers grazed the mat that served as a door as Jeong Jeong spoke again. "I am no longer your master, Aika. There is no need to call me this."

Pausing, Aika shrugged. "It's easier than calling you 'second father' all the time." With this, she pushed the mat aside as she walked out.

Blinking in the sunlight, it took her a few seconds for her vision to adjust- just enough time for an arm to wrap around her neck. Responding instinctively, she slammed her elbow backwards into the body she felt behind her. A grunt and release of the arm around her neck, followed by strangled laughter. "Jeez, Aik! Ya coulda been a little gentler."

Turning, Aika sighed as she saw Fai, hunched over and holding his stomach. "And you could've easily had your head removed. What the hell, you idiot! You got off lucky."

Closing the distance between them, Aika put a hand on his shoulder as the boy chuckled. "Hey, da risk makes it fun." Standing straight, he rubbed his side where her elbow had hit, shooting her a joking glare. "Been awhile since we played 'round, 'asn't it?"

Aika smirked. "Way too long. What'd you say? Want to go a round for real?"

Fai grinned. "Hell yeah! D'ough we should leave da camp if we're gonna have lots o' fun- da natives don't like fightin' in da camp."

Aika gestured to the south, opposite to the town. "Lead the way, unless you need to recover from that deadly attack I dealt you."

Fai smirked. "As if, ya ass. C'mon, let's go."

The boy latching his hand around her wrist, he practically dragged her the first few steps into the trees, Aika quickly catching on and pulling loose with a playful punch to his shoulder. "I can walk fine, jackass!"

Fai chuckled. "Coulda fooled me- ya act like one'a da pirates."

Aika shrugged. "So I spent a bit too much time sailing with them. It was a hell of a lot more liberating them being around Jeong Jeong all the time."

Fai gave a weary nod. "Yeah, it's gettin' a bit old. Not bein' a bender, I don't get much of da wisdom 'e's always spoutin'." Stopping, he smirked as he swiftly pulled off his cloak, now in his loose green pants, sleeveless button-up, and sandals. "Alright Aik- think you can keep up?"

Aika smirked, carefully taking off her sash, tossing it to the base of a tree. "Hehe... I think I'll manage." Raising her left arm in front of her, her right pulled close to her side, Fai didn't give her a chance to prepare any further.

Lurching forward, a knife slipped into each of his hands from his sleeves, he rapidly slashed at her chest, Aika side-stepping to avoid him. However, Fai didn't give her any time to recover, turning to match her, continuing to push at her as backed up, the two in a perpetual circle. Aika backing and sidestepping out of every swipe of the blade, she managed to taunt between breath. "You're faster- still not fast enough."

Fai smirked. "So ya think, Aik." Lunging forward, he managed to move ahead of her step, plunging a knife downward on her chest. Aika's hands quickly came forward, one wrapping around his hand, the other lashing out around the dull side of the blade, fingertips rubbing on the sharp edge.

Chuckling, she asked, "Do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Her hand on the blade began to heat, the metal changing in hue as the heat spread, Fai cursing loudly as he dropped the blade, unable to pull his other hand free of Aika's grip, choosing instead to take this chance to throw a punch at her throat. Too slow to stop it, Aika let out a strangled gasp as she backed up, Fai quickly pulling loose and pressing his single knife against her sternum, the tip barely brushing her skin.

"I'll call that my point."

Aika rubbed her throat, scowling. "I'll give you that, but damn it, was that necessary? That might actually bruise." Shoving his hand and knife aside, she let out her breath. "Alright, round two, jackass."

The two backing away from each other, Fai attempted to pick up his second knife, the metal still too hot to touch. Cursing as he kicked it off to the side, he asked, "Well ya didn't need ta be so rough wit' my knives. Dey're all I've got."

Aika rolled her eyes. "You forget that I fight bare-handed, Fai."

Fai scoffed. "Yeah, if ya don't count fire. Now fight me, ya punk."

Aika smirked as she suddenly rushed him, her leg swinging immediately toward his head, Fai barely stepping out of the strike as her foot grazed his cheek, slashing forward with his blade as Aika was on both feet again, spinning quickly on one foot to get out of the way.

Rushing right back, swiping a leg, Fai easily jumped her foot, Aika following up by punching several times at his chest, half of her attacks hitting as he attempted to dodge. Twisting her foot around his ankle, she managed to tug him off balance as she quickly stepped around him to wrap an arm around his neck. Leaning in by his ear, she asked, "Point, Aika."

This went on for several hours, on and on, the two of them never gaining more than than a two point lead on the other- at least until they lost count. Aika removing both of Fai's knives from the fight, it became mostly a fist fight, Aika never directly using her firebending.

Night was falling by the time the two of them, panting and drenched in sweat, fell on their backs, laughing between gasps for breath. Aika teased, "I win again."

Fai scoffed. "As if. Ya barely got a hit in..."

"Punk."

"Weakling."

"One-ear."

"Scar-hand."

Silence fell for a second before they burst out laughing again. Pushing herself to an upright position, Aika seemed genuinely happy as she smiled at the boy. "I missed this. It's been a long time since we've gotten to have some fun together."

Fai, still laying down, chuckled. "Jeez, ya talk like one of da old geezers from da camp."

Aika let out a short laugh, finally catching her breath fully. "We should get back. I have to leave early tomorrow-"

"Yeah yeah, chasing 'your righteous vengeance,' I know," Fai grumbled as he folded his arms under his head, closing his eyes. "We don't have to go back yet."

Aika rolled her eyes, picking a handful of grass and sprinkling it on his face, making the boy splutter as he tried to push the blades off his face. "I've got stuff to do, Fai. Come on, ass off ground now."

Fai mumbled, "Yeah yeah, I get it," as he got the rest of the grass off his face.

Both standing, it was a short walk back after retrieving their set-aside items, the sun completely fallen by the time they got back. The clearing only lit by a handful of torches outside the huts, the darkness swelling around everything else. Fai waved her toward one of the huts, still smirking. "C'mon, ya can stay wit' us tonight."

"Thanks, Fai. I appreciate it." Following him to the hut, the boy immediately went in, though before she could follow, movement in the corner of her eye drawing her attention. Turning her head, she could make out four shapes outside one of the huts- Jeong Jeong's. She wouldn't have given it a second thought if it weren't for the only one she could clearly see in the firelight.

Smiling, she waved coolly as she called, "Chey!"

The man turning toward his name, he jogged over, the other three behind him slowly following. "Hey kid! I didn't think I'd see ya here again!"

Aika and the ex-soldier shared a firm handshake, the girl smirking. "Been awhile, hasn't it, Chey?"

The puppy-like man grinned, agreeing, "A year at least!"

"Try five."

"Wait, what?" The man seeming to be trying to process this with a stunned look on his face, Aika was stifling a laugh as one of the three behind Chey spoke.

"Aika?"

Looking toward them, the firelight illuminated blue arrows, a Water Tribe wolf-tail, and hair loopies.

Aika wasn't sure if her heart stopped beating or if it started beating so fast, she couldn't feel it anymore. Panic, relief, shame, and confusion all flashed through her head at light speed, struggling to pull words from the mess of her mind. "Arrows."

Before she even processed it, arms wrapped around her, Aang and Katara hugging her, almost falling over from the gesture. Blinking blankly, awkwardly standing with her arms pinned to her sides, she couldn't seem to understand the gesture. "What...?"

Aang beamed as he held tight, proclaiming, "We were worried! I couldn't find you and then we ran into Zuko and he said something about you-"

"Wait wait wait, Princey?" Blinking in confusion, it took a few seconds to connect that Aang had fought Zuko the day before. "Huh, what'd he say?"

Katara pulled away, worry in her eyes. "He said you were on his ship- well?"

Aika shrugged. "For a bit, yeah. I needed a ride for awhile..." Looking down at Aang, she asked awkwardly, "You uh, mind giving me back my arms?"

Aang released his grip, Sokka still standing warily off to the side as Katara's eyes bulged, Chey taking the chance to duck into his hut. "You got Mr. Cranky to 'give you a ride?'"

Winking, Aika assured, "It was more like forceful hitchhiking. By the way..." Pulling off her glove, a black band with a blue-carved jewel hanging still was wrapped around her wrist. Carefully pulling it off, she held it out to Katara. "Princey had a present for you that I just happened to pick up."

Katara's breath hitched as she slowly reached out, carefully picking up the necklace as if afraid it would disappear. "You..." Words failed as she clutched the band, throwing her arms around Aika again, to Aika's disgruntled surprise. Katara's voice was flooding with relief and gratitude as she whispered, "Thank you so much, Aika."

Aika pulled loose ungracefully, avoiding Katara's eyes. "Don't thank me, Water Girl." Glancing over to Sokka, she asked dryly, "What, no hug? No over-zealous cries of relief at seeing me alive? Jeez, you're heartless."

Sokka's cheeks flared red as he crossed his arms. "No! I mean, yes- er-" Huffing a breath, he gave her a half-hearted glare. "I'm just not sure what to think."

Katara whirled, glaring at her brother. "Sokka!"

The boy defensively raised his hands in front of him. "Hey, I'm just being careful! Aika hasn't exactly been the most trustworthy."

Aang frowned, obviously conflicted. "Well, we should give her a chance to at least explain." All eyes suddenly on her, Aika found herself with little choice. It would be good to finish it anyway- they deserved answers, at the very least.

Waving them away from the hut, she tilted her head toward the trees. "Come on- if this is how we do it, I at least want a little privacy." Walking to the trees, she picked one to lean against, folding her arms across her chest as the others followed, Aang sitting as if a child listening to a story and Katara quickly putting her necklace back in its place.

Taking a deep breath, Aika began. "Well, I'll explain then. You already know that I'm a mutt from Tetsu. What I didn't mention is-" Her voice failed for a moment, suddenly unsure. She'd never meant to tell Iroh, and now she was just going to go around, telling everyone a secret she'd guarded for the past several years of her life? Yet she couldn't stop now. They deserved this much, at least. "I'm not just some kid that Zhao scarred. I'm his daughter."

If Aang hadn't been sitting, he would've fallen over. Katara's hand slowly climbed to her mouth, Sokka staring with a vacant expression as this information slowly progressing into a fully formed thought in his head. Aika felt as if all her shame in her own intentions was suddenly caught in her throat as Aang looked at her with an expression of pure confusion and leeriness. "But, that means... you're trying to kill your own father?"

The very idea of that simply wouldn't compute with Sokka's mind as a combination of outrage, disgust, and disbelief swelling, Katara simply falling into denial. The girl didn't seem to be asking as she questioned, "You were lying about that too, right? You're just looking for him- you don't want to hurt him...?"

Aika felt her heart churn with emotion, her own conflicted feelings on the matter nearly making it into her voice. However, she swallowed down the wild feelings that had been tearing at her from the inside. "No, Water Girl. Killing Zhao is the only thing left for me- blood means nothing in a world full of water, flame, and rock."

Sokka protested "But family is- is _family!_ You don't hurt your family- you don't even think about that kind of thing!"

Aika sighed. "I'm not asking you to understand me, Ponytail. I'm just explaining this to you because you should know why I want this so badly. I spent the first eight years of my life with nothing but my mother and my bending- I was curious as to who my father was beyond just knowing his name. I joined the Fire Nation army as a messenger to find him. I spent two years running across the continent before I worked up the courage to speak to him. When I finally did... He did this." Holding up her arm, her narrowed eyes glared at streaks of scarlet. "My bending has never been the same."

The split emotion between the three listening was overwhelming. Aang staring at her, a thousand thoughts flooded his head. _The Fire Nation killed everyone I knew, all the air nomads, Gyatso- and Aika was one of them? She wasn't back then, but she was part of the nation that hurt so many..._

Katara, fingers rubbing anxiously across the surface of her necklace, mind racing a mile a minute. _She was eight then... that means she was in the army when Mom was taken... Does she know something?_

Sokka's uncertainty of what to think was burning in his throat, uncertainty, distrust, and understanding swirling as he calculated mentally. _She was with the military. She was a messenger... Does that mean she knows something about dad? Where he might be?_

Aika continued, "I've been chasing Zhao ever since. That's all I want- nothing more, nothing less. It's simply really, though I've done so much to reach this. I've joined pirates, apprenticed with bounty hunters, stowed away and stolen to get by." Waving her hand at the hut where Jeong Jeong sat, she chuckled. "I even turned my back on my second father and his training."

Katara frowned. "Second... father?"

Aika explained, "A Fire Nation tradition- the parents choose someone to serve as a secondary guardian. Jeong Jeong is mine. After Zhao attacked me, Jeong Jeong saved me, tried to help me adjust to my injury. But I was broken- I went home, hoping to find comfort and only finding the entire valley in flames and ashes." Looking back to the others with her arm lowering, none of the three were ready for the look of sadness in her eyes. "Can you honesty tell me you wouldn't want revenge too?"

Silence fell over the clearing, Aang slowly pulling together his thoughts. "Revenge doesn't solve anything, you know. All it does is bring more pain."

Aika asked, "And you fighting the Fire Nation isn't revenge at all? Can you honesty tell me that you're not doing any of this with anger in mind?"

Aang immediately protested, "No, of course not! You can help us stop the Fire Nation, instead of revenge!"

"I'm not fighting a war."

Katara asked, "Then if you're not actually going to help, then why don't you just find some town to settle in?"

Aika's voice suddenly lowered, eyes closed as she folded her arms behind her. "... I've tried. I'm still trying, but I'm a mutt, Water Girl. People like me- well, a lot of folks think we don't even count as people. You met Chey? His son Fai is a mutt like me, but he has no bending to protect himself with, and he wasn't born into as forgiving a town as I was. He and his mother were ran out of their hometown while Chey was still a soldier- all because Fai wasn't like the rest. Do you know how ashamed you have to be to cut off your own ear?"

The horror displayed on their faces said it all, Aika letting out a sigh. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm not giving this up- I've spent most of my life chasing this, and I don't give up. Sorry kiddos, but your wisdom is lost on a mutt like me." Brushing past them, she threw a wave over her shoulder. "I'll be sure to look out for you all in the future."

Katara, pushing her mention of Fai out of mind, asked, "Wait, you're leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning, yeah."

Aang frowned. "Can't you stay? After all, if you're really trying to find Zhao, then the best way is to stick with us."

Aika froze, glancing back warily. "You're... inviting me back? After what I did?"

Aang shrugged. "What you almost did, but yeah! You're still our friend! Come on, I learning firebending here- you can help!"

Aika seemed to be turning this over in her mind, mulling over the idea as she turned forward, continuing to walk. "... I guess I see you in the morning."

Aang grinned. "Great!"

"No promises, kid! I'm just saying I'll see you in the morning!" With that, she ducked into Fai's hut. The inside similar in size to Jeong Jeong's, several woven mats lay on the ground, candles hanging from the ceiling. Chey already snoring, Fai sat on his mat next to a beautiful dark-haired woman in faded green, the woman barely giving Aika a second glance. Fai grinned, giving her a wave. "Took ya long enough! C'mon, Ma put out a mat for ya."

The woman gave a gentle swat to his shoulder, chiding, "Language, Fai! I swear, you're never spending another summer with your grandfather again."

Aika, sitting down on her mat, smiled at the exchange despite the exhaustion she hadn't realized she'd felt starting to weigh on her body. "Thank you, Alisa. By the way, I saw Gara not long ago- he's doing fine."

Alisa smiled slightly, her tired eyes seeming to fill with a relief she didn't know she needed. "Oh, that's wonderful, dear! My old man is doing well for himself?"

Aika nodded. "Very- he's making out like a bandit." She winked and couldn't help chuckling to herself.

As Alisa snorted and rolled her eyes, Fai yawned. "Ya should let Aik' sleep, Ma. She's got an early mornin'."

Alisa nodded. "Of course, though you should know you're welcome to stay."

Aika nodded, laying on her back. "Thank you for the hospitality." And unable to stay awake any longer, drifted off.

* * *

The sun peeked over the horizon as Aika slowly blinked in the dim hut. All the candles out, it was difficult to tell the three bodies beside her from the rest of the darkness. Quietly pushing to her feet, Aika slipped out as quietly as possibly, looking around the camp. The dawn staining the navy sky a soft rosy pink on the horizon, Aika saw no one else moving about the camp yet.

Glancing into the treeline, she thought of the glimpse she'd caught of the small stream before. The girl mused to herself, "Maybe I should give it a shot."

Walking off into the trees, she quickly found the creek, sitting on the edge. It'd been a long time since she'd really tried- Jeong Jeong's method of enhancing firebending wasn't her style, but it was worth a shot.

Legs folded in lotus position, she took a deep breath.

 _Listen to the water._

 _'The fire is always burning inside. Control it- force it to grow smaller, grow larger. Force it down until it barely burns at all, or create a monsoon of flame. You must bend the flame to your will before it scorches all that you see.'_

 _My emotion is my flame. Calm... Think of it, then let it go._

A sigh. "This is such a damn waste of time..." She was well aware she'd never be able to let go of her emotion like Jeong Jeong had- but it at least was a way to calm her mind.

The water's trickle and the gentle sway of the leaves on the trees was like a lullaby, the sounds lulling her into a trance. Someone could've walked up to her and stood right in front of her and she wouldn't notice.

 _Running along the paths of the Earth Kingdom, never caring about the way the rocks scraped against her heels._

 _The happiness she felt any time she ran, the exhilaration of pushing her own ability._

She let it flow down the river, letting it drain away.

 _Flames climbing the homes she'd always known, the screams of those trapped in the fire and those who ran from the heat._

 _The horror and guilt that set in within seconds._

She tried to let it flow, the guilt catching on the banks, yet she simply moved on.

 _Lightning, water, choking on the tears that snaked her cheeks._

 _The agony, the despair, the desperation to understand._

It wouldn't budge.

 _Arms wrapped around her, being curled up on her mother's lap as she played with the long brown hair that tickled her nose. The lullaby she sang, the words she hadn't heard since everything burned._

 _I love you._

 _The nostalgia, the guilt, the burning hole the loss of her mother had left in her chest._

"No," Aika let out her breath with a sigh, leaning forward with her forehead in her hands. "Nope, not gonna." Of all the emotions she felt, that was one she'd never let go of, not for anything in the world- not even her revenge.

Looking up, the sun had risen fully, showing just how long she'd been outside. "Huh, guess I lost track of time."

Walking back to the camp, Katara was standing with Fai in the center, quickly running at Aika to wrap her in a hug as Fai laughed. The girl demanded, "Where did you go? I was worried you left!"

Fai, walking up, shrugged as if he'd heard this before. "I tried to tell da girl ya wouldn't 'ave left without yer shit, but she wouldn't listen to me. Besides, ya wander all da time."

Aika again trapped awkwardly in Katara's embrace, the girl was looking at Fai as if pleading for mercy from an executioner. "Uh... I'm sorry?" Katara releasing her, Aika promised, "Water Girl, I'll tell you this much- I don't leave without a goodbye." She'd made that mistake before.

Katara nodded. "So, are you going to come with us when Aang's finished learning firebending?"

Aika glanced away, seeming to be pulling her thoughts together. "... I've thought it over. Considering all my options... you'd better believe I'm coming."

Katara grinned. "That's awesome!" She almost hugged her again, but saw the flash of awkwardness in Aika's eyes, instead vying to reach out for her hand, smiling as she did. "Welcome back, Aika."

Aika gave a small smile, glancing to the side. "Nice to be back- so, where are Arrows and Ponytail?"

Katara quickly explained, "Sokka went fishing with Chey, and Aang went up to the hilltop with Jeong Jeong a long time ago, though Jeong Jeong came back." She pointed to the next hill over.

Aika nodded. "I think I'll go see how much fun Arrows is having- I remember how miserable my training was. It's better with company."

Katara released her hand, remembering what she'd heard. "Yeah, that's right- I forgot you learned from him too. What was it like?"

Aika snorted. "From what I managed to do before I left? It was all-around frustrating. Jeong Jeong's methods are dodgy at best." Giving a short wave, she took off toward the hillside. Quickly reaching the top, she found Aang standing in a wide-footed stance, looking frustrated as she expected.

"Hey. Any luck, kid?"

Aang turned, sighing tiredly. "Not really. Why does he want me to breathe like this?"

Aika laughed. "Mostly because fire comes from the breath, kid. The weakest firebenders are the ones who think it's all in the body. Fire needs air to bloom, and you need air to create flame."

Aang, plopping down and letting out his breath. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Blinking, he glanced over to Aika with curiosity. "Why did you stop learning from Jeong Jeong?"

Aika shrugged, sitting down beside him. "It was just a difference of belief. Jeong Jeong believes that fire is a curse." Holding her left arm out, she lit a small flame in her palm. "But I'm the opposite. Fire is the greatest gift someone like me can have. He goes on about how fire can only destroy, but he's wrong. I know he is."

Flinging her fire straight upward into the air, it extended into a pillar of flame that singed my hair, Aang staring in stunned awe. "Fire can destroy, but it's the ability to create too. Fire is alive, and every flame I create is a living, burning life that will bite into anything it touches. I can build anything- I can defend myself, I can make friends, I can get back something I've lost. Fire is a power that anyone can use for what they believe in."

The flames dissipating, Aang smiled up at his friend. "You know, I think I like you're way of firebending better."

Aika smirked. "Don't get any ideas, I've got nothing on Jeong Jeong. Just because I have an ideology doesn't make me a good teacher or a good bender." Shifting into the same stance as Aang had been in before, she chided, "Get breathing, kid."

Aang groaned as he resumed the stance.

They stayed there for several hours, silent as they focused on their breath. Aika felt hot air rush between her lips with every exhale, Aang finding little success.

It was past noon when he let out an exasperated huff, standing straight. "I can't do this anymore! This isn't going anywhere!"

Aika didn't even open her eyes as he said, "Jeong Jeong won't like that answer, kid."

Aang threw his hands up in the air, angrily ranting, "But I've been breathing for hours and nothing's happening!"

"Whatever, kid. But the old guy's going to be pissed at ya." Aang descending the hill, Aika followed behind, quickly seeking out Katara as Aang stormed over to Jeong Jeong's hut.

Finding the girl with Fai's mother, she joined them in making the stew for the tribe that night. Joking and gossiping pointlessly, it was a nice few hours, the sun setting as they finished entirely.

Katara set down the knife she'd been cutting vegetables with, smiling to Alisa. "I'm going to go find Aang for dinner."

Aika waved her off. "My best bet is the river, Water Girl."

"Thanks- I'll be right back!" Running off, Alisa and Aika were left to finish preparation- however, this was quickly cut short.

A tribesman ran up to them, pointing in panic to the stream. "Ma'am Alisa, soldiers are coming up the river!"

Aika's breath hitched, head whipping to the river. "Katara..." She immediately took off, running toward the river, panic in her mind. "Damn it, we have to leave now!"

Dodging between trees, she quickly reached the water, finding Jeong Jeong and Katara on the banks. Aika skipped all pretenses, yelling, "Soldiers incoming- we need to leave immediately!"

Jeong Jeong looked up as Katara whirled in surprise. "Wait, where are they?"

Aika looked up the river, eyes straining as they caught the sight of a distant coal cloud rising over the water around a bend. "They're on the water- we have to go, now!" Looking to Jeong Jeong, she insisted, "Get Fai, Alisa, and Chey out of here! Go wherever you're going to go!"

The boats peaked around the corner as Katara started running, Aika almost following- but a single glance over her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.

On the bow, Zhao stood with arms folded behind him.

Freezing in place, Katara turned as she saw the girl stopped. "Aika, what are you doing? We have to go!"

Aika quickly looked to Jeong Jeong- the man had obviously seen his old pupil as well. The two meeting eyes, Aika couldn't look at Katara as she spoke softly. "No. _You_ have to go."

Katara frowned. "What? But you're coming with us!"

Aika knew the lie she had to sell. "No- I can't. Jeong Jeong and the others need me." Hugging Katara to reassure her. "You want me to move on from revenge? This is how I do it."

Katara slowly nodded as they pulled apart. "Alright. Please, be safe." And with that, she was running.

Aika turned to Jeong Jeong, his blankly condescending look boring into her. "You should go too. I have to stay here. I have to finish this."

Jeong Jeong advised, "Then end it how you are meant to." With this, he quickly disappeared.

The boats pulling up along the beach, Aika stood proudly as she watched the soldiers file off rapidly. Half of them, the firebenders, immediately running toward the trees and after Jeong Jeong- who she felt no worry for, knowing him- and half forming a circle around her, spears bristled. Aika not bothering to even move into her fighting stance, she simply stood there, glaring at Zhao. Pointing accusingly at him, she yelled, "I challenge you, Zhao! Here, now, in front of all your men- an Agni Kai! Unless you intend to let me stain your honor again, and tell all of them what I really am!"

Zhao, glaring disdainfully down on her from the bow, swiftly dropped down the ten foot drop in a single motion, landing easily, calmly answering, "I accept your challenge, _mutt."_

Aika grinned almost madly, victory gleaming in her eyes for a split second before Zhao's hand twitched and a spear was suddenly tearing through her shoulder. Aika let out a scream of pain as the metal bit from behind and into her upper left shoulder, not thrown with enough force to fully pierce through to the other side. Pain exploding as red dripping down, she fell to her knees, left arm limp as her scarred hand clung to her throbbing shoulder.

Zhao standing over her, she glared up at him, spitting, "You- fucking liar!"

Zhao leaned down to be face to face with the mutt, smirking. "I do not need to meet the demands of a mere mutt. Agni Kais are a dignified battle between firebenders- not defective mutts." Standing tall, he ordered, "Put her in the brig- she'll be perfect bait for the Avatar."

Aika tried to force to her feet, almost managing before two soldiers latched onto her, dragging her toward the ship. Aika, mouth tasting of copper, screamed, "I'll destroy you, Zhao! I'll destroy everything you ever touched for what you've done!"

But her calls went unanswered, a flying bison already taking off to the north, too far away to hear the yelling on the beach.

 **Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12: The Prison

**Hey guys! This is a bit of a shorter chapter than usual, but the next will be the first half of the season 1 finale! It's incredible that we're already here, and I want to thank you for all your support, those new and old!**

 **Just to make sure there's no confusion, I will NOT be separating this story into several dependent on seasons. The next season will be right here, not listed as another, separate story.**

 **Artemis: Hey, I've got to keep you on your toes, don't I?**

 **Serendipity: I'm afraid I can't spoil the ending, but I hope that I can show you my interpretation of Zhao differently than what others have shown!**

 **Momo & Knight: Thank you for the correction- I've gone back and fixed this error!**

 **Ryo: Oh, no! I wasn't trying to be "that" person who's a grammar prick, that was just my strange way of trying to agree with you! As to your questions... well, we could be here for a looooong time if I listed all of them. Basically, if I've watched it, I've written for it, so just look at my profile and bam, it's basically a list of what I've watched, though I only write once I've finished a series/caught up!**

 **Thank you to fox, Kmbrun, Znkp, and Angelica for reviewing!**

Chapter 12: The Prison

"Zhao! Stop being such a fucking coward!"

Aika's voice echoed against the harsh gray steel walls of her cell, no one responding to her calls. Leaning against the wall, she much rather felt like punching it or anything she could reach. Blood still dripping from her shoulder wound, silvery chains curled around her left hand and behind her back, the chains wrapped around her chest, pinning her arm to her upper back as if reaching for her opposite shoulder. One end of the chain attached to the wall, her hand was twisted so her palm was pressed against her own back, making any firebending impossible without burning herself, her right arm entirely free. The other end was padlocked tightly at her left side, her free hand barely able to touch it with the painful strain it placed on her wounded shoulder- even if she could reach it, she couldn't do anything.

Her free hand tugging at the chains, there wasn't much she could do to free herself- melting the chains had already proven ineffective. It was obvious to her they were made from metal with a higher melting point than a single firebender could provide, much less a one-handed firebender.

Cursing her own stupidity under her breath, she tore off a strip of her pants, attempting to press it against her open wound.

 _What the hell was I thinking? Why would he respect me enough to take me on in an Agni Kai? I'm just a mutt. This was maybe the stupidest thing I've done yet. Now I'm stuck here._

It was several hours, she sat there alone, gritting her teeth against her pain as the ship began to move, the sound of the waves against the side of the boat maddeningly frustrating, her fear of the water trying to swell with every sound. Taking in her surroundings, there wasn't much to take in. The dark gray walls were drab and straight, except for the wall opposite to the bars, this one being the curved side of the ship. The bars only a few inches in between, the chain latching her to the far wall didn't stretch far enough to get across the seven foot room to reach the bars.

"Well well well, the mutt isn't so threatening without its teeth, now is it?"

Zhao standing on the other side of the bars, arms folded behind his back and his usual smug smile across his lips. Aika immediately pushed to her feet, lunging toward him only to be roughly reminded of her short rein, letting out a sharp cry as she hit the end of her chain, immediately stumbling right back as pain flared up in her shoulder.

Zhao leaned closer to the bars, taunting, "What, did the mutt find the end of its leash?"

Through grit teeth, Aika hissed, "Shut it, you bastard! If you're not here to have your throat slit, I want nothing to do with you!"

Zhao frowned mockingly, tutting at her. "That wasn't your attitude all those years ago- but in any case, I stopped by with a few questions. Starting with how you survived our most notable encounter."

Aika felt a painful spark of memory building in her right hand, scowling as her hand balled into a fist. "What, trying to figure out how to make me stay dead when you try again? Sorry, I'll come back from anything until you're dead. I'm your personal cockroach-shark."

Zhao rolled his eyes, letting out an annoyed breath through his teeth. "Yes yes, I'm aware; 'vengeance, return to where you belong, blah blah blah.' Next question, then: where did my wayward old master go?"

"Like you said- wayward. He doesn't exactly share his thoughts- sound familiar?"

Zhao scoffed lightly. "Next question: where is the Avatar going?"

"I'd think that'd be obvious. Apparently you're not as sharp as you used to be."

Zhao closed his eyes, sighing. "Your bravado would be cute if you weren't so annoying. It doesn't matter, in any case- the North Pole will be eradicated and my problems will evaporate with it."

Aika snorted, rolling her eyes. "You're delusional if you think you can defeat an entire nation with your pathetic forces. Water has a natural advantage over fire- it takes a talented firebender to beat a waterbender. Your grunts won't be able to do anything against their defenses. If one hundred years of bastards like you couldn't break through before now, why should you be able to?"

Zhao's confident smile returned, standing straighter in pride. "Because I've gathered every soldier from the bases across the nations, massed the greatest force since the Seige of Ba Sing Se. Along with a few... rare findings. Now, who was the masked man who helped you steal the Avatar from me in Pohuai?"

Aika spit, "Kiss. My. Ass."

Zhao scowled, narrowing his eyes at her. "This is a pointless effort, you know. The bottom line is that you have nothing to gain and everything to lose, mutt. I'll give you a few days alone here to think it over."

Aika felt heat seeming to boil in her chest, flame roaring from her mouth as she screamed, straining against the chains. However, her fire barely reached the bars.

Zhao raised his chin proudly, chuckling. "Yell all you want, but you're mine. The metal around you is entirely platinum- designed to hold firebenders. It takes several benders to melt it- you'd never dent it, even if you weren't defective."

Aika's rage built, though her fire died as she saw how useless her efforts were. Still leaning her entire weight against the chains, she hissed, _"You did this, you son of a bitch! When I get out of here, I'll rip you apart for all you've done to us!"_

"Us?" Zhao arched an eyebrow, curiosity in his eyes until realization dawned. His smug smile died, changing to a blank glare. "Ah. Inge."

Aika felt the anger and pain wrestling in her chest, seeming to pull her heart into two halves, tears she wouldn't let fall stinging at her eyes. "She said you loved her. She gave up everything for you and what did you do in return?! You destroyed everything! She..." The words wouldn't come. She simply couldn't say it.

Zhao turned his back to her, eyes closed as he maintained his composure. "I lied- and don't be surprised if your whore of a mother lied as well. You should thank me for burning every trace of her but you away."

And he was gone, leaving Aika to scream her curses and insults to no one but herself.

* * *

Three days. Left alone for three days entirely, there was nothing for her to do except think. And after her father's words, only one thing was on her mind.

Inge.

The name was all she could think of, her shoulder burning and the chains rubbing cold against her through her clothes, she could only push it all away with the memories.

* * *

 _A small, two-room house flickered in the light of a single candle, the flame casting shadows across the room where a little girl sat cross-legged, staring intently at it. Glaring at the candle intensely, the child couldn't have been more than four years old, her chubby face grimy and loose green clothes covered in dirt._

 _"Aika? Dear, I asked you to wash up before bedtime."_

 _The girl looking to the doorway, a beautiful woman with dark, nearly black, brown hair standing in the doorway, her kind green eyes still smiling despite the hint of exasperation in her voice. Walking over to the little girl with steps as soft and graceful as a dancer, she sunk to her knees next to the girl, pulling Aika into her lap. "I honestly don't know how you get so dirty, love."_

 _Aika craned her neck to look straight up at her mother, protesting with a lisp, "I was playing with rocks! I wanna be a rock bender, like you!" Looking at the candle, she frowned. "But since I couldn't do that, I tried fire. Like daddy."_

 _Laughing softly, she cradled her daughter closer, resting her chin on Aika's head. "That's wonderful, love- but you need to be careful. Bending will just_ come _to you. I just don't want you trying to move a boulder or stop a wildfire."_

 _Aika promised, "I'll be careful, Mother."_

 _Inge smiled, standing carefully while lifting her child. "Then it's time to go to bed, my little girl." Blowing out the candle, she carried her to a small mat across the room, laying down, setting Aika beside her. "Goodnight, sweetheart."_

 _Aika carefully unfolded a blanket from the foot of the bed, picking it up and placing it over the both of them. "Goodnight, mother." Curling against Inge, her mother's arm around her, the two drifted off together._

* * *

 _It was only a month later that Aika woke up in the middle of the night, yawning as she rubbed her eyes and blinked in the darkness. Her throat burning with thirst, she pushed to her feet, navigating her way in the dark toward the patch of darkness she knew was the door._

 _The simple table held only a pitcher and an unlit candle, the little girl squinting in the dark, she let out a small sigh at how light it was, knowing it was empty. Reaching for the candle, she felt under the table for the spark rocks, hands latching onto two jagged rocks. Pulling them out, she struck them against one another, next to the wick of the candle, a small spark jumping to the candle._

 _The light illuminated the two halves of a seashell in her hand._

 _Realization struck, Aika's hand wrapping around the candle as she ran back into the bedroom, yelling, "Mom! Mom! Mom!" over and over._

 _Inge quickly sat up, blinking blearily as she looked around, "Yes, love? What's-" she yawned, continuing, "-what's wrong?"_

 _Aika immediately began to rattle off, "I got up to get a drink, but the pitcher was empty so I was going to go down to the river to go refill it so I wanted to light a candle so I grabbed what I thought were the spark rocks but they were actually those pretty seashells I found last week and the candle is still lit!"_

 _Inge slowly processed when she'd just said, sitting up straight as she stared in stunned silence at her daughter for a moment. "You..."_

 _Aika's excitement died as she met her mother's eyes, smile fading as she seemed worried. "Wait, was I supposed to use rocks like you? Did- Did I do it wrong?"_

 _Inge suddenly wrapped her arms around her daughter, careful to avoid the still-lit candle in Aika's hand. Tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, she smiled with such kindness and pride, she rivaled even Iroh's lovable grin. "No. No, never think that, Aika. You've found something amazing- something that's going to make you..._ you. _Never let anyone tell you that this isn't right. Don't let the other kids ruin what you feel. This is your gift- your own beautiful way of being you."_

* * *

 _Flames reached for the sky. Husks of houses burned as soldiers marched through the streets, the screams of villagers echoing as they ran as quickly as they could, fleeing into the woods only to be followed._

 _Aika, much older and right arm wrapped in fresh bandages, ran through the remains of her home, ducking behind houses, diving into the fires and bending them around her, though the embers still burnt her feet as she ran, the flames burning away at her hair until it was barely at her shoulders. Still, she kept going, head whipping around desperately, tears in her eyes from the smoke as she screamed with a hoarse voice, "Inge?! Mother! Mother, please! Where are you?!"_

 _Running out of a house's remains, she lunged forward right into a soldier, though she simply sent a burst of flame from her left right at his head, the man stumbling back with a scream of pain. Still she ran, right to the ruins of her house- the first to be set on fire, the first to be set in ashes, the embers already dying._

 _"Mother?!" Running to the gray dust, she shoved aside every burnt chunk of wood left, regardless of how it tore at her hands or ripped the bandages protecting her already raw hands. "Please Inge, where are you?! Say something!"_

 _Her fingers rubbed against charred cloth, her digging becoming more and more frantic as she pushed all the ash she could off the woman curled in the house's shell. Harsh burns across her body, hair half-burnt away, eyes closed and unmoving._

 _Aika shook her mother's red arm, tears dripping down her cheeks, seeming to smolder in the burns she'd gained on her face. "M-Mother, please wake up! Inge? Mother!"_

* * *

She couldn't make the memories go away. They wouldn't leave her alone. She couldn't make any of them stop. It was constant, every moment a new painful memory coming back. The only thing she could keep away was the worst memory in her mind.

Three days of nothing but distracting herself from the pain in her body with the pain in her mind, distracting herself from both with the occasionally cursing at any soldier who walked past.

* * *

Zhao spent his days gathering his forces- and recruiting a few others to remove the last of the obstacles in his path.

An infamous collection of pirates now were gathered in his office-cabin on the flagship, their gray-haired captain poker-faced as he stood before them.

Zhao ran his fingers over the ornate box sitting on his desk, a sly smile on his lips. "I'm very impressed. You all seem highly qualified for the task I have in mind."

He pushed the box toward Gara, the captain pulling his closer to flip back the cover, showing rows of gleaming gold ingots. On his left, Oh- his second mate- immediately reached out, pulling an ingot out and bit into it. Smiling, he admired, "That's some tasty gold!"

Gara shot him a glare as he took the piece back, slipping it inside again as he turned his eyes to Zhao. He was entirely aware of who was in front of him- word had been traveling around the continent about the man gathering an army and Little Snake made it clear who Zhao was to her.

The gold on the table seemed to be teasing him, asking, "Why would you trade a brat for me?"

Maybe because of all she'd done.

Gara's mind made, he turned a smirk to the admiral. "What do you need us to do?"

Zhao said, "I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko."

"We've encountered him before- so?"

"Well, I require him to be... _removed._ You get rid of the prince, the gold is yours. My only condition is that you never let anyone know I was involved."

Gara nodded, sliding the box across the table. "Then we'll be back to pick that up later. Where are we lookin'?"

Zhao advised, "He's currently a single town to the south, trapped in the port without a crew. Once he's dead, I'll have nothing left to worry about." Gesturing to a soldier at the door, he ordered, "You're free to go. Get to your job."

Gara gave a slight nod, standing and turning toward the door. "You'll never hear from 'im again, I assure ya."

The soldier leading them through the halls, they wound their way out of the massive flagship- the echoing of an aggravated half-blood screaming bloody murder to the soldier unfortunate to walk past and have ears at the same time.

Gara and Oh shared a glance and barely a nod, instantly recognizing the voice, both minds working in the same direction. Escorted off Zhao's ship, they walked toward their own ship across the harbor, Oh whispering to his commander, "Snake was there."

Gara growled back, "I heard- we'll deal with this right. We just need to get a few things. For now, you go back, get her off. We'll get the blasting jelly to send this Fire Nation ass smoking off into the distance."

Oh nodded, veering off from the others, onto the nearest dock, diving into the water without a splash or a sound. Swimming silent as a fish through the water, it took barely a minute to get back to Zhao's ship, pulling himself up onto the ramp from the underside. Seeing no soldiers in sight, he lunged into the hallway, the only sound water as it dripped off of him, his footsteps soundless.

Running through the halls, straight to the lower decks, it was easy to find the brig and its sole occupant.

Aika had quieted once the soldiers had passed, the girl now leaning against the wall, eyes closed and head resting against metal, she managed to sit up straight at hearing the faint sounds of Oh's approach, grumbling, "Don't you dicks have anything better to do with your time?"

Oh, glancing around the corners once more to check for incoming guards, walked in front of the bars, immediately pulling out his lock picks as he saw her. "Dat's a bit rude of ya to call me, Snake."

Aika opened her eyes, staring in shock at the pirate as he slipped the sleek metal into the lock, twisting expertly until the metal clicked, Oh carefully opened the barred gate, the metal still creaking. Aika leaned against the wall as she attempted to push to her feet, swaying as she rubbed at her red eyes, blinking at him again as if surprised that Oh was still there. "I'm... not dreaming." Grinning, she walked forward on shaky legs, to the end of her chain to meet Oh. "About time you showed up."

Turning his lock picks to the bolt holding her arm back, the pirate smirked as he asked, "Is dis how most damsels in distress act? If so, I don't think I'll make a habit of this."

Aika asked, "What's happening out there? Is Gara here too?"

"Nah, the big man is back at the ship wit' da boys, gettin' the blasting jelly. We're gonna blow dis' ship and dat ass of a Paps you have sky high."

The lock clicked as Aika's eyes shot wide open, the bloodshot color seeming to fade with the intensity of her thoughts. Shrugging off the chain, she winced as she slowly rolled her shoulder, paying little attention to the patches of reddened skin and dirty scabs caused by the chains rubbing against her. "No- you can't, Oh. It's _my_ task to kill that prick, and I'll be the one to do it." Looking to the pirate, she flexed her left hand, her solid muscles burning as she tried to move. "How did you even know I was here?"

Oh frowned, glancing back at the open gate, wary of any incoming soldiers. "Your Paps hired us ta kill some banished royal- actually offered a ton a' gold. Now let's get ya outta here, Snake! If ya wanna kill the guy so badly, ya can go knock 'im off off before we go."

It was easy to see the gears turning in her head, her mind moving a mile a minute. "... No, I can't. Right now, he'll be neck-deep in guards. I'd never get close." Looking to the hallway then her chains, she bit her lip as she made her decision. "I've got a plan, Oh. And I think you'll like it much better than using you blasting jelly for no pay."

* * *

Zuko's ship, devoid of life besides the prince, was quiet besides the sound of soft footsteps across the deck. Iroh walking through quiet streets, a silent shadow trailing him through the streets, Zuko laying in his room and attempting to pull together a plan for his next move, neither were aware of the events taking place around them. Barrels silently rolled onto the ship, the fuse carefully set to be lit from the docks.

A burly pirate quickly slipped through the ship's halls, the door creaking slightly as he entered, Zuko's ears perking to the sound. However, just as he stepped into the hallway, the pirate's iron grip locked around him as if in a bear hug, Zuko's chest to the pirate's. Struggling to slip free, the man chuckled deeply. "Snake was right- you're feisty."

The prince, finding his methods null, gathered breath to attempt breathing fire only for the man's grip to tighten, Zuko suddenly devoid of breath was left gasping for air.

"Stop your squirming, boy. You've got friends in da right places, kid- not high places, but da right places." The prince tucked under his arm, quickly left the ship, rejoining his crewmates on the dock, a careful hand over Zuko's mouth. "Got 'im, Gara. All da soldiers should be gone- I didn't see no one else on da ship."

Gara nodded as he said, "Then blow it. After that, it's all up to Snake now." Glaring at a still struggling Zuko, he scowled. "So, Snake's friends with a little brat like you? Pff. Guess the kid's standards are lower these days. Jenji, don't let him go until it's done." The man holding Zuko gave a nod, another from behind Gara moving to light the fuse.

Zuko kicked out, weak flames dancing around his feet, arms pinning to his side, he could only watch as the pirate slid the spark rocks against one another, the fuse quickly running out, his ship erupting in a column of flame, the air heating rapidly around them.

Farther down the docks, Iroh turned in horror to the flames, fear setting in. "Zuko!" Running toward the wreckage, his follower suddenly running forward, side by side with the firebender.

Oh waved a hand at the old man, advising, "I wouldn't worry, mister. Yer little nephew is fine- we got 'im off before she went 'boom.'"

Iroh frowned at Oh, a small flicker of recognition managing to make it through his panic. Huffing for breath, he wouldn't waste time talking- he needed to see Zuko safe with his own eyes.

Seeing the cluster of pirates, he skidded to a stop next to them, ready for a fight at seeing his nephew trapped in Jenji's grip, though relieved to see him alive. Cautiously, he slowly spoke, "I appreciate you saving my nephew, but I'd ask that you release him."

Gara shrugged. "As long as the kid won't mess with us- we went through the trouble of keeping him alive for a friend." Nodding to Jenji, the pirate unceremoniously dropped Zuko, the prince managing to land on his knees and push straight to his feet in a fighting position as he demanded, "Who the hell are you talking about?!"

The captain rolled his eyes, shooting back, "Aika, ya little dumbass. We were hired to kill your sorry ass, but the little snake bargained for ya." Looking to the angry prince, he growled, "Ya never show yer face again, ya hear? At least not for several weeks. Old man, ya can follow him or go join up with that ass, Zhao, who hired us, but I'll warn ya, Aika's in prime position to strike him down."

Zuko couldn't fully process what was happening- his ship destroyed and his life saved by Aika of all people within minutes. Aika... what was he supposed to think of her before this, much less now? Why bother saving him? It's not like they'd parted as friends. Was this just paying her back for pulling her from the water? That's what it had to be.

Iroh's feelings were more clear- gratitude and worry for the girl. If she was close enough to Iroh to hurt him, it was reason for concern. He was well aware of her lack of survival instincts when it came to Zhao, and the pain she was willing to bear to reach her hazy goal.

Gara turned away, waving to his men. "Time to collect, boys. Zhao's coming to this port tomorrow if you want to hitch a ride with him, old man." And with this, he and his men were moving toward their ship, quickly disappearing from sight, leaving uncle and nephew alone.

Iroh couldn't help himself- he wrapped his arms around Zuko, fighting tears. He couldn't push away the fear that had overtaken him before- the horror that had burned in him before. It was too close to what he'd felt on the battlefield in Ba Sing Se, losing Lu Ten. He didn't have the strength to feel that again. He whispered, "Thank the spirits you're alright."

Zuko, not daring to break the moment, thought to himself: _No. Thank Aika, if we ever see her again._ He only said, "I'm fine, Uncle. But I'm getting on that ship tomorrow. Zhao will be going after the Avatar- it's my best way to follow him."

Iroh slowly nodded, still holding his nephew. "Then I will come as well."

"You don't-"

"I will not let you go alone, not like this," Iroh insisted. "If you are going to hide on that man's ship, I will not let you go alone."

"... Thank you, Uncle."

* * *

The next day, Iroh was accepted onto Zhao's ship as an honored guest, Zuko disguised as a firebending soldier. The prince wandering the halls, Iroh asked for a tour of the flagship, Zhao personally leading him throughout the ship- including the brig.

The sole occupant leaning against the wall, chains once again wrapped around her chest as if nothing had happened, now scowled at the arrived admiral. "Come to surrender to your fate, you ass? This isn't the scenery I imagined, but if you insist on dying here, I won't argue."

Zhao sighed. "Apparently, a lack of food and water over three days doesn't take away your bravado. You're still going to be stubborn?"

Aika shot back, "Piss off, you bastard! When I get out of here, I'm going to rip you limb from limb!"

Iroh stared in a mixture of horror and worry at the girl, Zhao ignoring her. "My apologies, General. She's a mutt I picked up from the Avatar's crew. I've been keeping her here as bait for him, though it hasn't succeeded yet."

The elder man's eyes raking over her bloodstained shoulder, the pain in her eyes- the warning she silently gave him.

 _Don't say a word. Please. I need this._

Iroh quietly said, "While I do not approve of your methods, I will not argue. Still, you should at least maintain her health. She is no help to you dead, correct?"

Zhao smirked, agreeing with a slight shrug. "I suppose you're correct. Still, once my plan goes through and I destroy all who oppose us, she will be of no use."

Aika laughed hoarsely, her voice grating as she chuckled. "So you believe, Zhao. But when everyone who opposes you is alive and kicking while I watch you bleed out, I hope you can appreciate the irony."

Zhao walked away with a sigh, disinterested as he said, "Yes yes, I'll laugh in my grave for you, brat." Iroh, with one final glance to Aika, followed the admiral.

* * *

Later that night, Zuko found himself handed a tray of molded bread and a cup of water, directed toward the brig. Stopping at the barred entrance, he narrowed his eyes at the girl asleep in the corner. Slipping a key into the lock, the metal clicked as he swung the door open striding forward and kneeling next to her.

The prince quietly growled, "Aika, wake up."

The girl tensed, eyes slowly opening as she yawned. "Never imagined to see you here, Hothead. After I kept you from getting blown to bits, you'd think you'd been a bit more wary of the guy who tried to have you blown to said bits."

Forcing herself to sit up, Zuko pushed the water into her hand, growling, "My life, my choice. I was told you were in the perfect position to knock Zhao out- this looks like being in prison to me."

Aika chuckled, her left arm unfolding from behind her, pulling away from loose chains. "I am, Princey. Zhao thinks he's got me on a short leash, but I can get loose any time I want to. In fact, I took a little walk around the ship last night." She toyed with her filthy braid, smiling slyly at the metal glinting inside her plait. "I might as well be completely free. Zhao's security will be top notch until the siege- then, the soldiers will be busy fighting, not protecting him. I strike and get out- easy."

Zuko couldn't help feeling impressed as she quickly drained the cup, letting it clatter back down to the tray- as much as he was annoyed and frustrated by this half-blood at times, this was a creative strategy he hadn't seen coming. Still, he was mostly relieved her plans didn't seem to involve disrupting his own plans. Standing, he took the tray, whispering, "Then we won't have any trouble."

Moving to the door, Aika frowned as he did, slipping her left arm behind her again, maintaining the illusion of her being trapped. "Wow, not even a thank you? I did save your life, after all."

Zuko grumbled, "It's not like you thanked me for saving you."

Aika winked. "Hey, it works for me. It's a part of my roguish charm. For you, it just seems dickish."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Just stay out of my way."

"Whatever you say, Princey. Just do the same for me."

 **Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13: It Could've Been Great

**Can you believe we're here? The Book 1 finale! Just be clear, this is indeed both part one and two of the Siege of the North, as I couldn't find a good place to split them. I was very tempted to cliffhanger you just before the big finale, but I decided not to be that cruel- well, at least not that kind of cruel. Still, this is the longest chapter of the story so far- by a whopping two thousand words!**

 **I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you, old and new who have supported this story. I never would've gotten this far without you, and it means so much that you all have gotten invested in this story and its character arc. I just wanted to give back a bit- and just for fun, I'm going to try something out.**

 **PLEASE READ THIS BIT!**

 **I've seen this done with many other great authors, and I think everyone can enjoy it: an Ask section! Ask any question you'd like, and Aika shall answer! All you have to do is leave your question in the reviews!**

 **Now, to answer the past chapter's reviews!**

 **Ryo: No worries- I appreciate the extra reviews! ;) But I definitely attempt to keep everything comprehensive and logical- I mean, if you had badass pirate bros, wouldn't you ask them for a favor? As to Zhao... well, to be revealed this chapter! Yes, I love Fairy Tail- but mostly because I pretend the last arc never happened. I'm currently writing a Fairy Tail fanfic with an entirely new finale arc to satisfy the hole the actual manga left in my heart. But I hope you had a good holiday, and thank you for (four) reviewing!**

 **Klen: *blushes* Awww, it's wonderful being compared to drugs! Er, at least something addictive! Thank you for the review and support!**

 **Angelica: Wh-What? *hysterical laughter* What do you mean "don't go according to plan?" There was no plan to start with, just slightly thought-ahead winging it! Thank you so much for your continued support!**

 **Momochan: Glad to provide you with a compelling story! Thank you for your support!**

 **KnightOwl: I know, right? I'm so proud of my little vagabond baby! Thank you for being here since the beginning!**

 **Znkp: Hmm... perhaps. Perhaps not. You'll have to read to discover! Thank you for your continued support!**

 **Serendipity: Oh honey, if Aika's a puzzle, she's one made up from a dozen different thousand piece puzzles tossed together, then trying to take 500 and make a coherent image- that got a little crazy. But thank you for your review!**

Chapter 13: It Could've Been Great

 _Tap._

 _Tap._

 _Tap tap tap._

 _Tap._

 _Tap._

 _Tap tap tap tap._

 _Tap-_

"Knock it off, brat!"

Aika didn't even bother looking at the soldier who paced in front of her cell, angrily stomping as he glared at the mutt in her cell. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, her hand paused in its rhythm, entirely straight-faced as she looked directly at the soldier- and tapped all five fingers against her metal cup as loudly as possible.

The guard let out a frustrated yell, stopping in his pacing to slam his fist against the bars. "Damn it, just shut up! It's bad enough I'd down here babysitting you while everyone else gets to fight for our nation!"

Aika shrugged, entirely too relaxed as she pointed out, "To be fair, I haven't said a thing- instrumental doesn't count as speech. Also, the fight hasn't even started. Even from down here, I can tell. You're obviously not a Firebender, since you can't recognize the smell of flames, but you apparently are an idiot too if you can't even tell the catapults are inactive. No wonder you're down here with m-"

"So help me, you little mutt, I'll come in there and stab you again!"

Aika's eyebrows shot up, the wound in her shoulder aching worse just thinking about it. "Wait, that was you? Ohhhhh, you're going to be so sorry you said that when I get loose."

The soldier let out an exasperated sigh, pulling away from the bars to push some of his hair back under his helmet. "Even if you weren't tied like a deer dog, that's what I'm here to keep you in your kennel, you dumb mutt."

Aika had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, leaning back against the wall of her cell until touching its freezing side, quickly remembering why she'd sat farther away. The metal of the ship had been slowly growing colder as they moved north, the air becoming more and more crisp, even in the ship. Now, it was painful to touch the icy walls, the floor not much better.

The girl using her free hand she reached to her left shoulder, gently probing at the wound on her shoulder, wincing at the touch. Slipping out several nights ago, she'd slipped off to find the infirmary, managing to splash a bit of liquor painfully onto her wound before grabbing a container of medicine before returning to her cell. The constant aching was still there, but it had at least weakened and she'd wrapped it.

"Keep that in mind when I scorch what little of a beard you have off." Aika immediately resumed her entertainment, one finger loudly resounding every few seconds.

The soldier let out an angry growl, yanking the keys off his belt, quickly unlocking the cell's door and storming in. Boot colliding with her ribs, Aika let out a sharp cry of pain as she fell back, free hand moving to her throbbing side as the soldier quickly snatched the cup away, stomping right back out.

"There, now just lie around like a good dog."

Aika, gritting her teeth in a mixture of rage and pain, slowly pushed to a sitting position once again, forcing a cocky smile as she wrapped her free hand around the chains behind her. She then proceeded to jingle the chains as loudly as possible, yelling over the metallic echo, "Sorry, is this too loud? You're welcome to take the chains away, otherwise I hope you have ear plugs!"

The soldier scowled, glaring at the smirking girl, walking away with his hands over his ears. "Screw this! Lieutenant Enji can find someone else to do this shit."

Aika, chuckling as she ceased her jingling, flexed her fingers before rubbing her hand on her ragged and filthy pants, letting out a slow breath with a transparent mist of cold air.

 _We're getting closer. Colder and colder, closer and closer to the endgame._

* * *

Over the course of the five days it took to reach the North Pole, Aika annoyed, pestered, and assaulted eight guards to the point that the staff became so frustrated with the effort, they simply came to the unanimous agreement that they didn't need to risk another one of their staff's thumbs coming close to forced amputation, vying to simply have their soldiers check in every few hours.

Aika was sprawled on the cold floor, sleeping lightly when the first catapult fired. The sound of the burning projectile, the smell of the oil, the loud creaking of the war machine: despite the flagship being behind the front line of ships, it was enough to wake the sleeping girl.

Bolting to an upright position, she winced at the strain on her body- days of barely moving had taken a toll, along with her barely healed stab wound.

Still, watching the patrol go by, this was the time to take action. Sliding her arm loose from the chains, she grit her teeth and scrunched her eyes closed as her muscles seemed to unfold slowly and painfully. Slipping the bindings off completely, they fell in a heap to the ground, Aika pushing to her unsteady feet, taking nearly twenty minutes just to stretch and return the sensation to her limbs, driving out the numbness.

Walking up to the bars, she glanced each way quickly before her fingers tore her braid open, two thin, needle-like pieces of metal dropping into her open palm. One lock pin in each hand, it took barely half a minute for the bars to swing open. With that, the hybrid was racing down the halls.

At the first corner, she came face to face with a small platoon of soldiers, all non-benders. Aika rounding the corner, the soldiers barely had time to be shocked before she swiped her left hand, flames filling the entire hallway in a wave. Their armor protecting them from the worst of the flames, their spears sparking with the heat, what little open skin they had scalded with her fire. Yelling in pain, Aika quickly silenced them, snatching the scarves they wore to ward off the cold weather and knotting them complexly behind their heads as they held their burned fingers close.

"Sorry for the second degree, but I've got my shot."

Racing down the hall as incoming steps echoed behind her, Aika launched up the first steps she saw, stumbling as the blinding light of day flared through her vision. Everything flooded in white, Aika stumbled, hands to her forehead trying to shield her eyes, barely keeping on her feet as she shivered in the cold air. Yelling echoed around her, the hybrid blinking to regain her sight. The vaguest of shapes were coming into focus when a hand latched onto her right arm, Aika bolting into action. Her left fist punching toward her attacker, she felt the hand release and heard the sound of footsteps backing up.

Blinking, sight getting no clearer, she cussed under her breath as she squinted in the light, left with the remaining senses she held.

The sound of the ships tearing through the water, the waves crashing, the creak of metal and chains, the sounds of weapons pulled from their scabbards, the crackle of flames and the sound of ice shattering under assault, footsteps and accusing words.

The smell of smoke, ash, the fumes of the ship's engine, the burning smell of the catapult oil, the gentle, comforting smell of raw flame with no burning material calming despite it being sparked against her.

The cold metal under her bare feet, the whistling wind tearing across her skin, her own icy breath biting into her chapped lips- most of all, the heat that built in her chest with every breath, spreading through her body.

The heat that burned hotter than ever before, so close to the source of that heat.

Spinning on one foot, she spun like the dancer, her other foot raised as high as her chest and extended, flames surging from the tips of toes, everything around her within a ten foot radius either scattering or attempting to block her attempts, Aika slapped a foot down, barely standing still for a millisecond before taking off toward what looked like a point without as many dark spots vaguely shaped like people.

Running, colors finally coming back to her, she barely had a second to see the flash of orange before something wrapped around her chest and she was suddenly off the ground, nothing but rushing air and the grip around her chest.

Aika thrashing, she drew in a breath, about to let out a breath of flame as a far too familiar voice protested, "Aika, stop! It's already hard carrying another person!"

Aika seemed to choke on her breath, blinking furiously as she looked behind her, only managing to see blurry orange. "A-Arrows? What the..." Her stomach lurching, realization set in. He was taking her off the ship. "Aang, you have to go back! You can't take me away, I need to finish this fight!"

"You're hurt, I can tell! Even though I don't get to decide whether your vengeance is worth it, I know I can't let you go get yourself killed!"

Aika, moving a hand to what she now could tell were his legs wrapped around her torso, she tugged roughly, trying to force him to let go. "This is on me, Arrows! This is my goddamn fight, so let me fucking fight it!"

Aang already struggling to keep an extra person in the air and legs straining against the taller girl, he couldn't fight her in physical strength, loosing his grip and Aika falling toward the arctic water below, freezing wind tearing through her goosebump-covered skin, hair whipping her face with the force of leather with the force of her fall. A strangled cry lost in the wind from accidental lips, Aika plunged into the water, the cold hitting her like a brick wall- at the same time as a familiar pain.

Struggling to regain feeling in her limbs.

 _Frayed nerves burning in the water._

Cracking her eyes open, nothing but blackness with the slightest amount of blue.

 _The tumultuous current of the river, the rocky bottom cutting her back, the water leaking into her lungs._

Parted lips closing, breath quickening in panic as she strained to move her head, trying to find her bearings.

 _Trying_ to _tell_ up _from_ down, _unable_ to _find_ the _light_ of _day._

Warmth. Someone was pulling her from the water again.

 _White hair with streaks of grey, faint scars along the edge of cinder-like eyes-_

Arrows, no hair, worried brown eyes, moving lips with no words.

The world slowly coming into focus, colors and shapes taking on dimensions. Freezing air on frosted and icy skin.

Aang, struggling to fly one-handed with his other around a shivering Aika, he shakily soared over the city, back to the icy bridge where Yue and Katara watched the battle. Trying to softly land, Katara quickly recognized their friend, reaching up and taking her from Aang as the boy landed.

The white-haired princess staring at the hybrid as Katara gently laid her down, the girl asked, "Who is this?"

Aang, staring worriedly at the firebender, didn't look up at Yue as he answered. "A friend- she was on the deck of a ship I was trying to stop. But I thought she escaped with Jeong Jeong before Zhao attacked!"

Katara, pulling the water from her canteen to heal the wound on Aika's shoulder, began, "She must've stayed to fight Zhao-"

Aika let out a sharp gasp as the water touched her shoulder, eyes rapidly opening as she tried to pull away in a panic. Wild eyes tearing across her surroundings still unable to discern details beyond vague figures, her every breath rapid and shallow, her hot breath turning to wisps of white and gray paired with the cold air as she instinctual stoked her inner flame with every breath, the frost gathering on her skin slowly eroding with her rapidly rising temperature. Aika attempted to speak, but her raspy voice couldn't form words between her quick breaths.

Katara replaced her water, gloved hands gently brushing Aika's shoulder. "Aika, it's alright- it's me, Katara! Just calm down, you're safe."

Eyes still wide, Aika could only process two things: she was sitting next to Katara or at least Katara's voice, and she wasn't on the ship.

Aika managed to murmur, "I have to go back," before she pushed to her feet, swaying as she looked toward the ship's desperately trying to think of a plan. "Aang, you have to take me back! Now!"

Aang's look of incredulity was mixed with confusion as he insisted, "No, I just got you out of there, I'm not going to bring you back! You're still hurt and need help!"

Aika slammed her flaming fist into the railing of the bridge, the ice melting around her hand as Yue backed up in a sudden burst of fear. "I'm in the best shape of my life- now either you bring me back or I'm going to go swim there myself!"

Katara stood to match her, arguing, "You _can't swim,_ Aika, and you're hurt. Besides, you'd never make it! What were you even doing on that ship?"

Aika's fists turning white with the pressure, she slowly began to rein herself in, taking a single deep breath of steam, melting even more frost from her chest as her vision finally became clear despite blurriness that still surrounded everything. "... I went to face him but his soldiers got me first. Still, I had a plan! I was never actually in any danger there."

Letting out a sigh, she tried to run a hand through her hair, finding it frozen in place with a distasteful wrinkle of her nose. "It doesn't matter anymore. Sorry I gave you trouble. Thanks for the save, Aang." It was easy to see the words were a formality. She was still angry, but turned to Yue. "Don't worry, I'm a friendly firebender- or at least as friendly as we come."

Yue looked between Katara and Aang, receiving a nod of assurance from both- despite the difficulties they'd gone through, Aika was still their friend, even if she'd made mistakes.

Aika looked between Aang and the ships, asking, "So how are you going to sink an entire fleet of ships, Arrows? I really hope your plan wasn't to grab random firebenders from the deck."

Aang's despair set back in, shoulders slumping. "No- I've taken down a dozen ships, but there's just too many. I can't fight them all."

Yue, adjusting to the new arrival, insisted, "But, you have to- you're the Avatar."

Aang put a hand to his head, closing his eyes. "I'm just one kid."

Aika, looking between the different people, the ships, and her scarred hand, slowly began to turn the gears in her mind. Putting a hand on Aang's shoulder, she gave him her trademark sly grin. "Arrows, what can't you little optimists do? We'll make a plan and shatter their ships." Aang looked up, giving her a small, grateful smile as she continued, "But quick, anyone have some warmer clothes? Firebending only gets you so far without getting burns."

* * *

A few minutes later, a quick change of clothes and a healing touch from Katara, Aika stood with the others on the bridge, squinting at her new attire. Blue leggings, fur-lined boots, and the thinnest of the fur-lined coats she could find, the purple and golden waves across the chest gleaming in the setting sunlight. Having warmed up sufficiently, she couldn't bear to wear the heavy clothes Katara and Yue wore if she were going to be bending.

Rubbing her bare hands together, she raised them to her mouth, letting her steaming breath heat them before stuffing her hands in her pockets. Aang quickly turned to her with a grin, urging, "Come on, we're going to a magic spirit place to get super awesome wisdom!"

Aika, blinking blandly, spoke in a deadpan. "I'm not sure if I should even question this anymore."

Katara smiled to Yue, encouraging, "Lead the way!"

However, the princess didn't move, nervously looking between the hybrid and the ground. "I, um, am unsure about-"

"Okay, let's cut to the chase," Aika cut in, noticing the looks she got. She didn't bother getting annoyed anymore- she'd simply seen the shy, "I-don't-trust-you-but-I-don't-want-to-be-too-rude" face before. "I'm half Fire Nation but I'm allied with Aang and you guys. I get being wary of me, but this is an emergency- besides, I'll tell you something to make you feel better. I can't bend with my right arm. Now, can we get moving and end this fight?"

Yue, obviously overwhelmed by the hybrid's upfront style, took a moment to understand before slowly nodded. "Alright... this way."

It was a short walk, wandering through the streets to a small, round door in the highest tier of the city. Inside, it was the a beautiful spring in an eternal winter. A small pond in the center of an island, a waterfall softly echoing against the high walls, bamboo behind a white gateway, bridges arcing over the water that surrounded the island, the water itself flowing down toward the rest of the city.

Aika's eyes gleamed brightly as she took in the spring.

 _This is it. This is the place._

Aang raced over the bridge, sprawling himself across the grass, rolling and laughing. "I never thought I'd miss grass so much!"

The rest of the group following, Katara ran a hand through the grass, admiring, "It's so warm here. How is this possible?"

Yue explained, "It's the center of spiritual energy in our land."

Aika arched an eyebrow, shrugging off her jacket as the other girls did the same, the hybrid muttering, "Sure, that definitely explains it."

Aang however, seemed to agree. "You're right, Yue. I can feel... something. It's so tranquil." The boy sitting next to the pool, he crossed his legs, hands folded at his abdomen, eyes closed as he began meditating.

Aika however, had her eyes trained on the water itself, staring at the two fish in the water. Black and white, white and black, circling each other in the water, their movement was hypnotic as she watched their cycle, green eyes following their mesmerizing movement.

 _What is this...? The balance of their movement... why is it calling to me?_

"-ka? Aika, are you alright?"

The hybrid blinked, turning to Katara and Yue with a slightly embarrassed smile. "I'm fine, just... intrigued. This place is... weird, though in a good way."

Katara nodded, looking back to Aang, Aika following her gaze, surprised to find that he'd already entered the Avatar state.

 _How long was I watching the stupid fish? I need to stay focused. He'll be coming soon._

Yue asked, "Is he okay?"

Katara easily assured, "He's crossing into the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

Yue was obviously still unsure, adding, "Maybe we should get some help."

Still, Katara was adamant. "No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him."

A flash of movement in the corner of Aika's eye and she suddenly was in action, sliding into her stance: right hand close to her chest, left hand extended in front of her as she glared at the gray-clothed figure who slipped in through the other doorway, walking across the opposing bridge. Disappointed at who she found it was, she still managed to drip sarcasm from her voice like rain. "Hey, Princey. So you _did_ survive. I sure hope you're here to thank me."

Zuko had many mixed feelings about Aika- whether or not he could overlook her disrespect and annoying attitude for the times she'd helped him. However, he wasn't having a moral debate. Nothing about his emotions on the hybrid would keep him from defeating her and regaining his honor. "Sorry, not today."

Katara, reaching for her canteen, murmured in dismay and shock. "No..."

Zuko shot back, "Yes. Hand him over and I won't have to hurt you."

Aika didn't take her eyes off of Zuko as she barked, "Yue, run." The princess didn't hesitate, taking off across the bridge and seeking help and Aika glanced quickly to Aang. _Well, I suppose if I'm on their side, I'm on the defensive team. Let's get this started._

Aika ran forward, Zuko preparing to block her as she skidded to a stop next to Aang, standing between the two of them as Katara took to the offensive.

Zuko sent a flurry of kicks and punches toward the trio, Katara protecting herself with thin walls of water that hissed with steam as the elements collided, Aika dispersing any flame that would reach Aang. Katara quickly retaliated by sending a burst of water straight into Zuko's chin, the prince flying backwards across the island.

Zuko however, didn't seem fazed, pushing right back to his feet. "I see you've learned a new trick, but I didn't come this far to lose to you."

The two exchanged a quick series of volleys before Katara managed to push Zuko back again, straight across the water as she froze it, locking him in place. Water curling around him in an orb, it froze into a sphere around him.

From inside, Zuko scowled and glared as he hissed, "You little peasant- you found a master, didn't you?" The ice lit orange as his flames grew, he shattered the ice once it was weakened by the heat, attempting to advance on Katara, dodging her blows as he drew closer, reaching toward her-

Green eyes suddenly blocked the rest of his vision, the hybrid having acted purely on instinct and slipped between the two, latching onto his outward arm with a sly smirk, Katara backing up to gain distance. "C'mon, this is the thanks I get for all the help I've given you? And when you've been an ass regardless of my kindness? Jeez, and people wonder why I don't pick sides."

Zuko was ready for her dirty playing style this time, growling back, "Hypocrite," as his free hand grabbed for hers, Aika responding by twisting his arm rapidly downward, Zuko letting out a slight grunt as his body was forced to adapt to the movement, shoulder dropped and nearly kneeling.

Aika quickly delivered a knee to the chest, only for Zuko to block with his free hand before hooking his foot around her ankle and quickly yanking it back toward him. Aika released him, somersaulting as she hit the ground and rolled back to her knees, still smiling and she shoved a bit of hair out of her face. "Hey, this is less joining sides and more... paying back a favor for a friend. In this case, that favor is to help win a battle."

 _And that's exactly what I'll do soon._

Katara having her opening, she took her chance, a stream of water hitting him squarely in the chest, knocking him across the water again. However, Katara didn't give him time to stand this time. Summoning the water from the creek, she pushed Zuko higher up the side of the spring's walls, almost completely encased in water as she froze it.

Aika couldn't help but smile, remembering when she'd first met Katara- the girl had been struggling to lift a puddle. Now, she was on her way. Offering a thumbs-up to her friend, Aika pushed back to her feet, brushing fruitlessly at the grass stains on her knees. "You've come a long way, Water Girl. Nicely done." Looking back to Zuko, head hanging and eyes closed, she suddenly had to re-evaluate.

 _Wonderful, but this just makes everything harder for me. I'll have to work around this... But I can already feel the sun rising._

"So," Aika walked forward, standing beside Aang as she continued, "What now? We just leave him there?"

Katara took a deep breath, shoulders slumping. "I-I don't know. I'm just glad Aang is safe." Looking back to the still comatose Avatar, she seemed relieved, pride swelling in her chest.

Golden rays were gleaming in the sky, starting to peek into the spring, barely touching the water as Aika felt strength surge into her limbs with the rising sun- it felt as if oil had been tossed into her inner flame, the same going for Zuko.

Opening his eyes, lifting his head with a puff of smoke from his nose, the ice melted around him, racing forward and blasting fire at the girls so quickly, Katara could barely manage a basic water shield, the force rocketing her into the base of the archway, the collision knocking her out cold. Aika however, had simply countered with a fire shield, frowning at Katara. "Hmm, that was rough."

Zuko began to lunge toward Aika, only for the girl to raise her arms in surrender. "Hey hey, take it easy. I don't want to fight, Princey."

Zuko stalled his attack, not trusting her enough to lower his stance. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Aika tried to summon the strength for her usual smirk, but she couldn't do it. Her grim glare wouldn't fade. "Shut up and let me explain."

* * *

The island was quiet, Katara still slumped against the archway, Aika sprawled in the grass, the two of them alone in the spring. The sun had since risen fully, now high in the sky as Katara groaned, blinking awake, one name coming to her mind immediately.

"Aang!"

Standing quickly, she looked around rapidly, realizing he was gone, swiftly kneeling beside Aika, shaking her shoulder. "Aika, get up!"

The hybrid muttered incoherently under her breath as she slowly sat up, squinting in the bright light of day. "Where... Aang?" She looked to Katara questioningly.

"Gone and we have to find him," Katara offered a hand, helping to pull Aika to her feet as Appa moaned from the sky, dropping down to the spring's level with Yue and Sokka on his back.

Sokka demanded, "What happened here?"

Katara quickly explained, "Zuko came, he overpowered us and took Aang!"

Aika scowled, looking around before her eyes settled on the cliffs beside the waterfall- icy sheets leading straight up to the tundra even the Waterbenders avoided. Yet several imprints had been dug into the ice. Pointing to them, Aika declared, "There- he melted the ice to make footholds. He must've climbed up to the plateau."

Sokka barked, "Come on, get on! We've got to find him!"

Katara quickly shot herself upward with a short burst of water, landing softly next to Yue, but Aika wouldn't budge. "I'm not coming."

Sokka demanded, "What? Why? Aang needs us!"

"No, I'll be useless up there, Ponytail! I can already tell- the storm clouds up there are so thick, the sun can't shine, making me weaker than I already am. Zuko will be weaker there too, and you won't need me to take him down!"

Katara frowned, still obviously unsure. "Aika, we still could use you."

Aika shook her head, staring at the circling fish once again. "I can't explain it, but I need to be here. I don't know if it's my instinct or one of these spirit-y things like Aang has, but I just know I can't leave. I'll go help in the battle all I can, but I just can't go. I know you'll find them though. Good luck."

Katara and Sokka exchanged a quick look before the former advised, "Stay safe," Sokka flicking the reins and Appa rising high into the sky. Katara watched over her shoulder as Aika took off down a tunnel toward the battle until the edge of the cliff made the entire city disappear in an instant.

And Aika stopped before she ever left the mouth of the tunnel. Turning around, she walked purposefully back to the spring, sitting where Aang had been not long ago.

 _I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing anymore- but I'm too far gone to slow down now without falling off the trail completely._

Watching the circling fish yet again, memories from years ago flooded in next to the ones from the same day.

* * *

" _What the hell are you talking about?"_

 _"Shut up and let me explain." Aika took a deep breath, vividly remembering what she'd found only days ago. "Zhao is coming, right here, very soon. So let's just say that I want to room to myself when he shows up. Aang would just get in the way."_

 _Zuko demanded, "Why would you let me? I thought they were your friends!"_

 _Aika agreed, "He is- that's why I feel the slightest hesitation doing this. After all, where're you going to go with him? I've got you down to a science, Zuko. You don't think things through. How would you even get him out of here? Going to go back to a Fire Nation ship? Yeah, they'll be real welcoming. You're going to go up onto the tundra above the city? I've seen the maps, I've read the notes- the nearly constant storms up there make it difficult even for the most powerful Firebenders to survive, and it's a two day walk to get anywhere. Make that a little longer when you've got a passenger. Besides, Water Girl and her friends will be after you soon- I know both of you will come out fine, though I know you run the risk of being in chains. So go ahead."_

 _Aika plopped down in the grass, yawning as she laid down. "I'll just take a little nap for now- have a nice trip, Hothead. See you soon."_

* * *

 _"You should not be standing. You are still in the recovery stage."_

 _Standing in the shade of several trees, a pre-teenage Aika stood tall in her fighting stance, her entire right arm wrapped in thick bandages, the slightest hint of pink staining the white cloth. Behind her, Jeong Jeong sat cross-legged and unamused as ever._

 _Aika simply responded, "It's been a week- I've recovered all I need to." Taking a deep breath, she tried so hard- so goddamn hard- to fan her inner flame. But it had been nothing more than a dying ember where there had been an eternal flame. Still, she needed this. She needed to feel like herself again after what'd happened._

 _Punching forward in quick succession, flames did scorch the air- but only half as many as she intended. No flame would come from her right hand. Aika held her bandaged hand in front of her, staring in horror and denial. It simply didn't compute for her. It couldn't be real. This just... it was temporary._

 _But she knew the truth. She'd taken the attack straight through her arm. Every nerve in her limb was fried and frayed as rope, her chi tunnels splintered as the lightning pattern that was a startling scarlet with its freshness._

* * *

 _"Hey, Runner! How was my girl?"_

 _Aika, panting and grinning, arm still free of any marking, her loose Fire Nation tunic wet from a mixture of perspiration and rain. Happy eyes trained on a younger, darker-haired Jee, she reached into the knapsack slung around her shoulder, pulling out a scroll wrapped carefully in cloth. Handing it off to Jee, she jovially proclaimed, "Wonderful, Mr. Jee, and Lee Sang is able to sit up on his own now!"_

 _Jee quickly unwrapped the scroll, a melancholy, homesick smile spreading across his lips. "Thanks, Runner. It- It's good to hear that my boy's doing alright." Reaching into his pocket, he flicked two silver coins toward the girl, Aika catching both in one hand. "See you at the fire tonight?"_

 _Aika winked. "Of course! I just have to get the rest of these letters around camp- everyone's excited for the weekly round of letters from home."_

 _The girl took off running down the path between the mazes of tents, Jee calling after her, "Alright, but you'd better have perfected that form Dao taught you! If not, he's going to be pissed enough to cut your pay!"_

 _Aika turned around just long enough to shrug playfully, yelling back, "Have a little faith! I'm quick to pick up anything!"_

* * *

 _"Hey, you're still here."_

 _Aika turned around, finding herself craning her neck to look up at a tall man above her. Dark black hair pulled up and high in a top knot with a flame insignia, sideburns running alongside his face and amber eyes nearly orange, his golden lined armor betrayed his importance. The two standing in a scarlet tent, waiting in line for their next meal._

 _Aika recognized this face, smiling. "Yes, I've been assigned to this base now. It might be for another week, maybe until they take the city."_

 _The man nodded in agreement, the two stepping ahead in line. "Well, with any luck, the war'll be over soon. Are you excited to go back home? I imagine it's been awhile since you've seen the homeland either."_

 _Aika shook her head. "Actually, I'm a hybrid from the Earth Kingdom. I've never been to the homeland- well, I suppose I was on an island once, but only for a few hours while repairs were made on a ship."_

 _The man seemed surprised, eyebrows raising as they took another step forward. "Really? Huh. I didn't think they took on messengers from the colonies as they were 'untrustworthy.'_ _"_

 _Aika gave him a smile, innocent to the implications. "Well, I guess I was trustworthy! Besides, there aren't many like me in the Fire Nation, you know. They don't like us there- my Mom always says that they don't understand us. But that's okay- they'll understand someday."_

 _Another step forward, Aika handed a bowl of milky soup, bits of dark shapes floating about as the man offered a kind smile. "Well, hopefully I'll be able to change that someday. From what I've seen, you're more reliable than anyone else."_

 _A bowl of a much finer mix handed to the man, the chef bowed his head low. "Good luck in the siege tomorrow, Commander. I know you'll lead us to victory."_

 _The man nodded, the two walking out of the tent together. The green fields around them were almost entirely taken up by the rows and rows of tents like wheat, the horizon to the north and south shattered by walls of incredible size, the one to the south only a few feet away and marred by a massive section shattered to pieces. Aika plopped down on a piece of debris from the first wall they'd broken through, the man starting to walk the other way._

 _Aika waved once again, calling, "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Lu Ten!"_

 _Lu Ten threw a wave over her shoulder. "Until dawn, Aika."_

* * *

 _Aika could only watch as Iroh raced across the lines, running so fast toward his son that he was so desperate to reach, the girl still standing right at the front of the battle, the wall only yards away, rocks crashing down around her. Backing away, she wasn't fast enough as a cluster of firebender sent a powerful blast toward the wall above her, the earthbenders retreating and dropping their boulders too soon. The rocks colliding with the wall they stood on, the rocks tumbled down quicker than Aika could run._

 _And all she could think about was that she'd never told her father who she was._

* * *

Aika groaned as she flopped backwards, laying on her back in the grass. _The hell am I doing? I can't get distracted. I won't have long until my moment of glory comes around. I can't afford to get distracted now._

Yet as she pushed to her feet, she couldn't keep the thoughts away, her pacing only making it worse.

* * *

 _The walk back to Uragiru Stronghold was long and hard, with so many injured. The siege on Ba Sing Se over, the soldiers and nearly two hundred messengers were all reassigned, Aika sent back to the military base she'd been stationed at for two years before her four-month trip to the front. Now... she was coming back._

 _A trip from Uragiru to the outer wall that'd once taken her a week and a half now took her twice that, traveling with a caravan of injured soldiers and the other three hybrids like herself- at least, those that had survived, though none were unscathed. Aika still felt the burn of her shattered ribs and the several broken fingers, but she was alive, and that was all she needed._

 _Still, they were finally back._

 _Walking through the tall metal gates, she didn't bother with the infirmary. She had waited this long- now, she at least had a flimsy medal and enough motivation. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to tell him._

 _"Runner?"_

 _Aika turned to the sound of Jee's voice, offering a smile. "Hey, old man. You've really gotten even more grey in only a few months?"_

 _Jee let out a sharp laugh, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around her. "You're alive. I was worried, kid. I'd heard that a bunch of runners like you got killed in the fighting... You good, kid?"_

 _Aika, resting her forehead against his armor, returning the hug, looked almost near tears. "Yeah. I'm good. And you, old man? Don't tell me you slipped a disc."_

 _The two laughed together, but Aika's was filled with fear and uncertainty. She was terrified of what was going to come- what she was about to do._

* * *

Footsteps echoed in the tunnels leading into the spring, Aika springing into action, racing across the bridge and hid just off to the side of the tunnel's mouth before they could see.

This was it, the moment of truth.

Zhao emerged from the tunnel, four firebender guards in tow. Aika didn't waste time playing this go around, though. Before they could even step onto the bridge, Aika leapt forward, grabbing the spikes on two of the guards heads and pulling them together so rapidly, they fell off balance, heads crashing into one another and they collapsed to the ground. Swiftly sweeping the legs out from under the other two, she snatched out their face plates before slamming her elbow into their faces brutally, angrily throwing the face plates at Zhao's feet, blood dripping from her elbow.

Zhao barely spared her a glance as he let out a sigh, entirely relaxed as he grumbled, "When I'd heard you escaped, I hadn't been expecting you to be so bold."

Aika, adrenaline already pumping and clouding her thoughts, breath shallow and her eyes dilated with animalistic rage. Even her voice had transformed- low, hissing and dangerous. "Well, you made three fatal mistakes. One, you didn't tell the guards they were dealing with an expert escapist and thief. Of course, you never really cared enough to notice that. Two, you left the map of this city and how to reach this exact spot in your office- though again, that could've been on my incredible ability to know where you'd hide something like that. But the third mistake... ohhhh, this one alone doomed you."

Aika lunged forward, kicking and punching flame at him at once, Zhao swiftly blocking as she crashed straight into him, driving her elbow into his neck as the two of them fell, Aika rolling over the top of him as he gasped for breath. On her knees, glaring viciously at Zhao, she screamed in wrath, _"You underestimated me!"_

Zhao was on his feet in an instant, just in time for Aika to lunge forward at him again, a flurry of flame around her leading arm, only for Zhao to catch her arm, proceeding to throw her back. Aika tumbling across the ground, she dug her fingers into the dirt before she could fall into the water.

Zhao striding quickly across the bridge, Aika pushed back to her feet, taking a massive breath as ran forward, throwing a high kick of flame toward Zhao's back, the admiral turning in time to protect his face, the rest of the flames dispersing around his armor. Aika throwing a punch at his head, Zhao's strength and size advantage was simply too much, blocking her punch with his forearm. Leaning closer, he growled, "Are you done throwing a tantrum, _dear?"_

Aika hissed, "Entirely- just let me start the next one!" Her knee shooting up into his stomach, his armor couldn't protect him from the force, stumbling back a step as she sucked in a rapid breath, releasing it as a plume of flame from her mouth. Zhao ducking below the flames, he latched both his hands around her arms, pulling down with so much force, she dropped to her knees.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to deal with you right now, little flame."

He reeled back his leg, kicking her hard enough she tumbled back toward the bridge, head colliding with the wood, vision suddenly tripling and colors fading in and out.

* * *

 _Leaving Jee behind, Aika walked toward Zhao's tent, palms sweating in pure anticipation and fear. Rubbing her hands on her sides, she brushed the tent flap aside. Zhao sat where he always was- at his desk, looking through piles and piles of papers that never declined in numbers._

 _"Uh, Mr. Zhao?"_

 _At her voice, he turned, shifting in his chair and offering a ghost of a smile. "Ah, yes. I heard you were returning. I'm relieved to see you well."_

 _Aika felt her cheeks turning red, nervously fiddling with her hair. "Yeah, I'm alright. I just- I've wanted to say something for a long time."_

 _Zhao assured, "I have a few minutes to spare- just speak quickly, or I'll never get done."_

 _She knew it wasn't impatience or wanting her to leave. He was being realistic. "I-I came to the army looking for my father. H-He came to my hometown a long time ago and hasn't been back yet... even though he promised my mother."_

 _Zhao frowned, arching an eyebrow. "Oh?"_

 _"Yes. Her name... is Inge."_

 _And suddenly, the temperature of the tent seemed to drop. Zhao's small slowly disappeared, realization dawning with flashes of denial, grief, anger, regret, homesickness, refusal- acceptance._

 _Standing, Aika froze, despite her heartbeat pounding so loud it was all she could hear._

 _Arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, Aika melting into the warmth of their grasp._

 _"You... You're mine? I should've realized. You're..." His grip tightened, pulling her even closer. "You're mine."_

* * *

Aika struggled to put her vision in place, further confused when despite everything coming into focus, everything was suddenly bathed in red light. As she tried to push up to a sitting position, she could vaguely hear, "I am ... a legend, now! The Fire Nation will, for generations, tell stories about the great Zhao, who darkened the moon. They will call me, Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible! Ugh ... Get it off! Get it off!"

She didn't quite understand the last part as she managed to get to her knees on all fours, touching her hand to the back of her hand, glaring at the glint of blood on her hand as it came away.

 _I can't let anything stop me now. I need this. I need to finish this and go home for good._

New voices came into focus around her as she pushed back up to her feet, eyes tearing across Aang, Katara, Sokka, Yue, and Zhao, Zhao alone against all the others on the bridge.

Aika sliding into her stance beside the others, between Aang and Sokka, she murmured under her breath to the Avatar, "Zhao is mine, no matter what happens."

He couldn't respond- his focus was solely on Tui, the moon spirit Zhao now held in a burlap sack.

Zhao immediately warned, "Don't bother," raising the bag threateningly, flame lit in his other hand.

The group backed down quickly, but Aika didn't budge, her eyes trained on the admiral. Still, he refused to take her seriously.

Aang protested, "Zhao, don't!"

The admiral insisted, " It's my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe."

Aang continued, "Destroying the moon won't hurt just the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

From the opposing tunnel that Zhao had emerged from, a familiar voice spoke. "He is right Zhao."

Zhao scowled as he looked at the newly arrived Iroh. "General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

Iroh simply responded, "I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon, too; we all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold. Let it go, now!"

Aika was even distracted from her own anger by the wrath in Iroh's eyes- the emotion just looked so... bizarre on him.

Zhao looked at the people surrounding him, resolve slowly crumbling as he realized he couldn't win an all-out fight. Lowering the sack to the water, he released the koi fish gently back into the pool. Yet Aika could see the emotion in his eyes. Rage, refusal to lose, determination, defiance- it only made her angrier to realize how similar their emotions were in this moment.

She could see what was about to happen- what he was about to do. He wouldn't let himself lose like this. Diving forward, flames leapt from her hand, tearing through the air as his own flame bit into Tui. Her flames scorched his cheek, the man letting out a scream of pain as the entire world seemed to go dark.

It took several seconds for anyone to be able to see, though Iroh still sent a volley of flame toward where he knew Zhao had stood. Yet by the time that their vision cleared, he was gone- Aika as well.

Zhao, having waded through the water to bypass the bridge Iroh guarded, now raced through the city, gritting his teeth with hands to his burnt skin. Yet as he ran toward a bridge, a blast of flame collided with the ice, melting it, leaving a ten foot gap between the bridge and the rest of the platform. Zhao turning, he scowled at Aika where she stood, glaring furiously. "You just can't help it, can you? This overwhelming urge of yours to destroy things that others love and need, things that are vital to the world and the worlds of people around you. And now, the sky is going to be dark in the night, and countless people will never see their families again."

Zhao growled, "How did you follow me?"

"I've been on my own for a long time now. I've learned to rely on more of my senses than sight- and splashing water? Not very quiet to sensitive ears. I'm sure Iroh would've followed you as well if he hadn't been hindered by his own flame's sound. Now..." She cracked her neck, puffing out a breath of steam from her nose, eyes more vibrant than ever, blood still dripping from the side of her head and down onto her shoulder- even Zhao couldn't deny the hint of fear he got from her.

"The sins of the father will be erased by the greatest sin he committed."

Zhao pulled his hands away from his face, showing half his left cheek seared red and wrinkled. "Well, you got one part right."

Aika raced forward, swiping her hand in an arc in front of her, a wave of flame extending toward Zhao, the admiral ducking beneath the flame and standing straight again, punching forward with both hands, Aika carefully side-stepping every attack, moving with a similarity to Aang and Katara- her absorbing the techniques of everyone she meets.

Dodging through his blasts, she was only feet away as she formed a single fire dagger in her hand, stabbing at his neck, him backing out of the way. Left with no choice but to dodge her relentless attacks, she yelled, "How does it feel?! How does it feel for your skin to bubble, your blood to boil and every nerve in your body burn with the knowledge you'll live the rest of your life with others looking at you like a pathetic failure?! _How does it feel?!"_

* * *

 _Aika was almost crying in her father's arms, relief replacing fear as she matched his embrace. After a few minutes in silence, Zhao pulled away, holding her at arms length, smiling. "This is... incredible! Come, we have years to catch up on. We should walk, get away from all of this for awhile."_

 _Aika, sniffing and brushing the very start of tears from her eyes, grinned brightly. "Yeah. I'd really like that... Father."_

* * *

Zhao finally got an opening, dropping down onto one knee and wrapping his hand around her ankle, yanking her off-balance quickly succeeded by a flaming punch to the stomach. Aika tumbling to the ground with a sharp gasp of pain, hands grasping at the new hole in her shirt at the abdomen, her skin pinkish red from the burn. Teeth grit and eyes narrowed, she refused to let the pain break her- not now.

Drawing back her left arm, she punched forward with a yell of rage, a prolonged column of flame aimed for him, Zhao countering with a fire shield. Turning around, he quickly made to jump across the divide to what was left of the bridge, using fire to drive himself forward, he touched down easily on the bridge, but the unstable structure collapsed, crumbling under his weight, the man falling to the street below, next to the waterway.

Aika, pushing to her feet again, stood at the edge of the drop, punching downward at him with a single, massive stream of fire. Zhao diving out of the way, he sent another blast toward her, though aimed at the ground she stood on. The ice melting, Aika's footing too unstable to regain, she fell straight to the bottom, blasting flame from the bottom of her feet to keep from crashing to the ice. Falling to one knee, she wasted no time, sending a flaming high kick at Zhao, the man stepping aside- but not accounting for the ice. The surface more slippery beside the waterway, he slipped, having to lean against the wall for support. Aika going into a spinning kick, going straight to her knees to avoid the trouble of slipping the same, then punching forward, Zhao didn't regain his balance in time to block either one. Blasted on his back, he groaned in pain, trying to rise to his feet as Aika's foot came down on his chest, flaming hand only inches from his face.

Glaring down at him, she grinned with a grim victory, softly speaking the words she'd wanted for years. "I win."

Zhao scowled, demanded, "What, do you want a medal? Just do it, if you're not weak!"

Aika assured, "Oh, I will. But you're going to answer one question first."

"Oh?"

"... Why?"

* * *

 _"-and she's doing well back home, but she misses you. She says that she always knew you'd come back someday though, once you had a high enough rank."_

 _Aika rambling happily about Inge and their home, how she'd left home to find him. Zhao listened with a small smile, but it was strained- there was a sort of painful hesitance, the man looking over his shoulder again and again, watching the fire of the stronghold disappear._

 _"- Jet's mom doesn't really like people like me, but it's okay. Mom says we're just misunderstood." Turning around, Aika blinked innocently to her father. "Sorry, am I talking to much?"_

 _Zhao didn't respond, only looking at her eyes, studying them as if he'd never see them again._

 _"Um, Mr.- Father?"_

 _He didn't speak, and yet Aika didn't fear or threatened- only worry. She couldn't recognize the look in his eyes- a look that had since filled her own._

* * *

"Why did you hate me for something I couldn't control? Even if I was a disappointment, you didn't need to attack me, try to erase any trace of me from the world!"

Zhao seemed strangely inquisitive, surprised by the question before letting out a slight, humorless laugh, shaking his head. "You foolish child. I didn't hate you at all. I cared for you very much."

Aika's eyes narrowed, flame flickering ever so slightly. Even though her mind insisted that nothing could sway her, the sheer sincerity of it was unnerving.

In fact, I thought of you as my own even before you told me."

Aika knew her resolve- she knew she couldn't be swayed. She simply had wanted a finite answer before she ended everything- yet the genuine way he said the words, their honesty and the truth that there seemed to be... She couldn't help but wonder, her flames dimming as she hesitated.

And it was over. In her pause, Zhao grabbed onto her arm, her flame dying as his knee came up into the back of her elbow, Aika letting out an ear-splitting cry as the bone snapped under the pressure. Staggering back, she tried to recover her advantage, but the pain had hindered her too much. Zhao stood, easily knocking her over. Planting a foot on her chest, he placed his boot on her injured joint, a loud groan of pain still slipping through grit teeth.

Zhao continued as if nothing had happened, shifting his weight foot to foot to Aika's misery. "You were fearless, intelligent, creative- and with raw talent to rival the Fire Lord's own prodigy. But there was one problem." He pressed harder on her elbow, tears stinging at Aika's eyes, her free hand futilely pounding at his leg on her chest.

"You were mine. If any found out you were my blood, my reputation would be ruined, my legacy scarred and my rank stripped away. I simply couldn't allow something as ridiculous as relations to destroy my chances."

Aika spat, "I wouldn't have told anyone! I was just a kid!"

"Yes, a naive, gullible, proud kid. I had to remove all trace of you. Now, I can't say that I'm going to regret this in the grand scheme of my life..." Pulling back an arm, flames lit in his hand, Aika's heart pounding so loud, she could barely hear his next words, her right hand now on the ground, trying to push herself free. "But I'll say I could've been proud."

 _Could've._

The word rang in her mind. A million thoughts ran through her head in a split second, the entire world suddenly moving slower than her.

 _Could've._

There'd been so many could've in her life, so many _could've_ s that should have been _we had_ s. So many last words that shouldn't have been said. Too many memories with sad endings that couldn't be fixed.

* * *

 _Flames dancing at his fingers, Zhao looked down with remorse at the wide-eyed child before him. "I'm sorry."_

 _Aika took off running the opposite way as flames bit into the ground where she stood, Zhao following. Yet despite her speed, Aika was injured already, his longer gait keeping him close to her. Yet she skidded to a stop as the Anquan River stretched in front of her, the trees and brush to each side suddenly on fire, she was completely boxed in. Whirling, she looked with terror and confusion at her father, begging, "Please, what did I do? What did I do wrong? What do I have to do to fix it?"_

 _Zhao stopped only feet away, the same, pained look on his face. "I'm afraid it's not something you can fix. You're just something I never could've called my own."_

 _Blue light danced at his fingers, arms moving in a circular motion, the flecks of gold in Aika's eyes turning blue with the reflection of the light. Her left hand over her chest, her right stretched forward, palm outward as if it could protect her from the streaking light that bit the air and straight into her hand, racking her body. Unable to even cry out, she collapsed, her body giving off white wisps. Zhao stepped forward, pulling a red sash from his belt- one of the sashes the officials used to wrap their messages. Tying it around her wrists, he used a single foot to roll her into the water, watching her disappear into the water._

* * *

Everything was a could've. There had been so many possibilities, so many different paths she could've followed, and now, she was going to die here. She couldn't help but wonder if all paths converged here. Would she have always failed? Was it all leading to this? Was she condemned to this?

Was she going to fail everyone who had ever looked to her?

* * *

 _Her mother's pained emerald eyes, scorched red hand reaching up to Aika's face, Aika leaning into the touch. "Mom, please... I never meant to do this... I n-never wanted this. I just wanted to meet him."_

 _She wanted this to last, even if the agony of her arm was still there. She didn't care if her mother hated her- she just needed this, an eternal moment where she hadn't hurt anyone, where she was simply a loved child in a kind world, living with her gentle mother._

 _The last words she ever heard her mother speak, emerged like a gentle breeze but tore through Aika's last shred of hope with the force of a typhoon._

 _"It could've been great."_

* * *

And suddenly, it all disappeared.

It didn't matter if she was alone. It didn't matter if she was the most hated person in the world.

What mattered was that she knew who she was now.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but peace. She could finally discern the right from wrong in her mind, even if only for a moment. Her fear, her anger, her pain, her confusion all died away- every sound disappeared, only the ringing in her ears and her own heartbeat left. Her right hand raising again, three fingers folding and first two pointed instinctively, she felt an energy flooding into her body.

Light illuminated the darkness of the night, as bright as the missing moon. It was as if the stars had tripled in brightness and drew lines between one another, white trees with branches reaching for the skies.

Silver lightning extended from her fingers, aimed right over Zhao's shoulder, the pure brilliance dying the red scars on her arm and the burn on Zhao's face white for just a moment, the lightning tearing into the darkened sky and giving light back to the people below for just a moment.

And just like that, it was over. Aika's arm shaking, fingers giving off smoke, both could only stare in pure shock of what had just happened, Zhao rapidly looking back and forth between Aika and where the lightning had torn through the air, just next to his face.

He murmured, too soft to even hear: "Her hand shook." If it hadn't, he'd have died.

The stunned silence was interrupted by a plume of flame from above, aimed at Zhao's head. The admiral jolted out of his surprise quickly enough to block staggering back as Zuko dropped down from the upper level, landing only feet from Aika as she sat up, resigning not to question what had happened at the moment.

Zhao, working through his prior surprise, demanded, "You're alive?!"

Aika let out a hissing laugh. "You can thank me for that."

Zuko, prowling past Aika, yelled at Zhao, "You tried to have me killed!"

Aika, moving from her knees to her shaking legs, left arm hanging useless and broken at her side, barked in response, "Back off, Princey! He's all mine!"

Zuko turned his head toward her for a moment, about to speak as Zhao drew back his flaming arm, Aika springing into action. Lunging forward, she tackled Zhao down in a flash, the two crashing to the ground in a rough struggle. Aika's right hand latching onto his top knot for leverage, he had his hand halfway around her neck, freezing as the world was suddenly illuminated again. Zhao froze stock still on his back, halting in fighting back, staring at the silver moon in the sky, whispering, "It can't be..."

Aika hissed back, "It can- it seems today is the day for the impossible." Drawing back her right arm, she never got the chance to land her hit. The water beside them swelled upward, glowing and swirling in the form of a clawed hand, descending on the two of them. Watery fingers wrapping around the two, Aika's breath hitched at the water's touch, mind suddenly spinning with panic.

Her mind went blank, squeezing her eyes shut.

 _Maybe I'm not the one who killed him- but at least I'll have been involved. I hope that it was good enough... Mother._

And suddenly, something grabbed onto her hand, tugging hard on her already shattered arm. She couldn't process that the yell of pain came from herself as the pressure increased, pulling loose of the water that had grabbed blindly for the killer of its friend.

Zuko's efforts pulling her free, the two tumbled to the ice together, Aika soaking wet and gasping for every pained breath, yet she wouldn't stop. She pushed to her knees with her good arm, turning her head back to the water only in time to meet Zhao's eyes one last time.

 _He lied._

 _There was regret._

 _"NO!"_ Aika pulled herself across the ice to the water's edge, looking desperately into the shallow canal- but nothing. He was just... gone.

Aika couldn't stop anymore. Sobs racked her body, tears streaking her already dripping face, her eyes were completely green, the gold so dim it had disappeared.

She whispered over and over, "I failed. I can't go home. I can't go home..." Opening her right hand, she still held it- the headpiece with the Fire Nation insignia that had held his top-knot. She'd snatched it away in the last moment of fighting, and now, it was all that signaled Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon-Slayer, Zhao the Invincible, had ever existed besides herself. Two relics of a horrible legacy.

Zuko sat straight, watching the hybrid with a morbid curiosity and sadness. He didn't understand their relationship- it obviously had been bad- but there was something about the way that she collapsed in on herself that was heartbreaking. He didn't dare interrupt- she had lost her father, however horrible he was. Standing quietly, he was prepared to walk away when her voice suddenly came so much stronger than before.

"Wait."

Zuko stared as Aika stood, swaying on her feet, her left arm still limp at her side, her shaking, dripping hand gripping the headpiece with a white-knuckle grip. Her loose hair, torn loose by the water and now plastered to her head, lay over part of her face, her eyes red, her voice empty of emotion as she continued, "You need a way out. Get a boat, get a raft- just something small you can get away in with your uncle. Go straight south- Gara and his crew are waiting for me. Just tell them I sent you- they'll most likely believe you. Last I saw, he was in the oasis."

Zuko didn't bother asking if he could trust her. There was something in her voice this time- it was as if she were too exhausted to even try deceiving him. He simply asked, "And you?"

Aika couldn't even try to offer her usual smile- she just shook her head. "I... will live, I suppose. Just don't say I didn't do anything for you, Zuko. Now go- live."

Zuko gave a sharp in response, turning away and running as Aika softly said, "And thank you."

Little did she know, the prince could hear her words- the first thank you she'd ever given him.

Zuko disappearing, Aika fell back to her knees, the icy cold setting in on her wet body. Staring at the water, the pain flooding through her, she clutched the headpiece so tightly, the small metal flame's points dug through her skin.

 _"It could've been great."_

 **Please review, and feel free to participate in the Ask Aika! Say farewell to Book 1!**

 **A quick note:**

 **The Earth Kingdom river is based off the Chinese word "Ānquán," meaning "safe". Irony is fun, isn't it?**

 **The stronghold Aika was based in, "Uragiru," means "betray" in Japanese. I just like leaving little easter eggs like this all over!**


	14. Chapter 14: The Avatar State

**Okay, so I'm so sorry for how long I've been MIA. Honestly, I was so happy with the finale, I just... couldn't get this chapter to feel it deserved to follow up. I proceeded to hit an inspiration block the size of the Ba Sing Se wall, and I then bashed my head into said wall until I couldn't stand. Then there was a bunch of homework and finals- let's just say I hate general college classes. Still, I HATH RETURNED.**

 **So, I got a couple of responses to Ask Aika through PM as well as the review section, so those'll be at the end.**

 **So yeah, this chapter isn't the best, but we'll move onto better things soon, and I promise- the ball starts rolling next chapter!**

 **A few quick review responses:**

 **To all who cried: :) Thank you for your tears. Your contributions may someday be enough to buy my soul back. (I sold it for another season of Young Justice.)**

 **To those who praised the writing: Okay, so I don't know how to convey how absolutely flattered I am and how amazing you all are, so instead, I'm just going to give you guys another chapter within a week.**

 **Thank you all so much for the support!**

Chapter 14: The Avatar State

It was an hour later that Katara raced out of the oasis after all the chaos, her mind having leapt to her friend and the fact that the last thing she'd done was disappear after Zhao.

Tired feet pounding on the snow as she ran, it didn't take long to spot the damage to the ice- where it had been melted, where a bridge had been shattered, where the edge of the ice down to the canal was collapsing to the snow below. Running to the edge, Aika knelt alone at the water's edge, staring into the freezing water blankly as her shoulders shook.

"Aika!"

Sliding down the side of the bank with a bit of waterbending, she was swiftly at Aika's side, asking quickly, "Are you alright? What happened? Did you...?" She couldn't ask that- she didn't dare bring up Zhao when he was nowhere in sight. She was frightened of the possibilities.

Looking at Aika, she took in everything she could- her obviously broken arm, the frozen blood on the side of her head, her skin coated in a slick frost from the water, her loose hair frozen in tendrils, the Fire Nation headpiece clenched in her white hands, the points so tightly held, they'd pierced her skin. It was obvious she'd been crying from the droplets that'd frozen on her cheeks and her puffy red eyes that'd lost their spark. Every breath was a puff of white, quiet and small with no heat to it, her self-heating practically turned off.

"He's gone."

Her voice was soft, barely audible and hoarse, her dull eyes still fixed on the water, it was as if she were in a trance. Her bright red skin icy slick, she could barely move with her limbs practically frozen in place.

"He's gone."

How was it still sinking in he was gone? Why couldn't she just accept it? Why was she so confused on how to feel when only an hour ago, she'd felt so clearly the anger that had blinded her. Now, she couldn't tell it apart from the grief, the sadness, the desperation that wouldn't go away, the last shred of hope that had left her.

Quickly pulling off her coat, she draped it over Aika's shoulders, barely shivering at the wave of cold as she pointed her hand to the ground, then thrust upward, the ice they sat on jutting upward, Katara using it to get back to the oasis, hoping the added warmth would help. Reaching the oasis, she let the ice melt to water as they reached the water.

Katara barely gave a glance to the others on the island, quickly pulling a stream of the water from the sacred pool. The water glowing as it touched her broken arm, Aika couldn't even wince, simply staring blankly at the sky.

He was gone, and now, she had no future left. Everything she'd ever planned, every hope and dream relied on this fight and she'd blown it.

Aang, on his feet again and having returned to find the others, though Sokka stayed where he was with Yue's body, looking nervously at their friend. Katara, hearing their approach, quickly said, "She was by the canal- I think she'll be okay."

Aang slowly asked, "Did she- you know..." He was afraid to ask- he wasn't sure what to think if she'd killed someone.

Katara didn't have an answer. She simply looked at Aika's hand, still clenched around the headpiece, leaving the trio to think the worst.

It didn't take long for Katara to fully heal her, the sacred water quickly removing all traces of her fight.

The group watched intently as Aika's eyes slowly opened, yet the light was as weak as if she had died. Katara asked quickly, "Aika, are you alright?"

The firebender didn't respond- she simply lifted her hand, looking at the piece in her hand, the wounds from where the pointed wings had dug into her palms gone, she stared blankly at the metal.

 _He's gone... and I have nothing left._

"Aika? Come on, say something!"

"I'm... fine." Aika slowly sat up, closing her fist around the piece again. Her limbs still stiff from the cold, she moved as if in water, jolted and slow.

Aang couldn't stop- he had to know. "Did you kill him?"

Aika felt a sob build in her throat, burning as she held it back. The wings were biting into her palm again.

"No. He- He got dragged away by the ocean spirit. I didn't..." She couldn't seem to finish, but the other three quickly felt relief, however quickly it passed. She wasn't a killer- they had that much to rely on.

"I didn't. But I could've."

* * *

The next day, Aika returned to the canal. The waterbenders had been quick- those that couldn't heal and didn't require healing had worked quickly, repairing a large portion of the city by the next afternoon. There was no sign that she'd ever fought her father, ever struggled for her life and his by the water.

Standing at the waterside, she stared at the water. She once again wore her heavy furs, one gloved hand still wrapped around the hairpiece in her pocket, her hair too frayed and burned to hold a braid any longer, now tied back in a short ponytail, though many pieces that'd been burned short still hung by her face, framing her sullen expression.

"I'm not sure why I feel the way I do. I think you'd understand that." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper as she watched the water sway and churn below her.

"Through the years I worked with you, I saw your face when certain orders came. When I first started, you were different. You felt for the soldiers, you remembered when you were still like them and were on the front lines. Like when you met Mom."

She took her time, sitting down, crossing her legs, never looking away from the water.

"She told me how you met, once. She told me how you met in Fujin, how you fell in love while you were stationed there, how you manipulated your senior officer into taking over our small, insignificant village, just so you could be with her. I always heard about that man growing up, and that's who I expected to meet. And yet... when I met you, I still looked up to you. Everything about you was important, strong, brave... I just wanted to be like you, be something you could be proud of.

"I... I saw you those days. You sometimes felt conflicted, torn- like I am. I'm not sure how you got past it, how you stopped feeling sympathy or responsible for them. I wish I could do the same." She let out a small laugh, but it was pained and forced.

"I guess my conscience is louder than yours. ...Was."

She let the silence settle for a moment before letting out a soft breath.

"I'm not sure how to feel about you. I hated you for what you did to me, for how you treated me, for everything you stole. And yet..." Tears bit at her eyes, her eyes closing to fight them off.

"I can't hate you. I can't throw all my hatred at you, even though I spent all this time hating you. Why? I could never tell you- I don't know myself. But someday, I'll know. For now, I can promise you this with certainty: I didn't hate you the way I thought I did, the way I said I did. I wouldn't be half the person I am today if you hadn't taught me. I know you had some good in you- after all, you treated and trained me like your own before I even told you who I was. That doesn't excuse all you did... but I think I want to find something else, something to live for. I can't go home, and I can't dedicate myself to the hatred I made up or magnified or whatever. I need to figure out my own head, find something _real."_

"You know, you've still got a spot with us."

Aika turned quickly, seeing Aang and Katara, the two solemn as the approached, taking seats beside her. The firebender managed a small, exhausted smile. "Yeah. I know, it's just... I'm not sure. I'm really not sure of anything right now. I dedicated everything to this, and... it's over."

Katara wrapped her arms around Aika, the hybrid seeming confused by the gesture- it felt... warm. As if her inner flame was starting again, despite it still being an ember in her lungs.

"We know this is hard, but you can't sit here forever. Come with us. We'd love to officially add you to Team Avatar."

Aang nodded solemnly, eyes filled with understanding. He knew what it felt like to lose everything. "I won't complain about you calling me Arrows."

Aika's mind swirled with thought, though she already knew. She had nothing else- why not? Why not travel, wander like she always had, just with company?

Her lips parted slightly as heat built in her throat, the girl letting out the first breath of steaming air since the fight a day ago.

The water didn't move, the air didn't change- yet if felt as if this little canal where her dreams had shattered was suddenly a new place altogether. The black and white world seemed to gain the slightest color again- just enough.

Flames seemed to eat away at her stomach again- yet it felt invigorating, empowering. It didn't help her aching heart, yet the fire was the most comfort she'd had in hours. Wrapping an arm around each of the younger benders, she softly agreed, "If you really think I can help, then yeah. I think I've got time in my busy schedule for a little world-saving."

Aang let out a small, excited sound, arms crushing tightly against her, Katara more gentle in her embrace, Aika unable to help the small smile the crept onto her lips.

"Don't worry, kiddos. Aika's got your back now."

The two released her after a minute, the group standing. Aang urged, "Come on, we should get going. They're seeing us off to the Earth Kingdom!"

Aika took a deep breath, glancing back to the water. _I need to find my new reason to live. Something to drive me. Someday, maybe I can tell you what that is._

And with that, the three walked off without looking back.

* * *

It was a day of sailing later that they stood on the deck of a ship, Appa floating beside them in the water. Katara and Sokka having shed their thick furs as they sailed for the tip of the Earth Kingdom. The man Aika had learned to be Master Pakku was standing in front of the with several other waterbenders. Aika had to admit- it was awkward standing around with them. It was impossible to miss the way that they glanced suspiciously at her, at the item on her waist. She'd long since carefully tied her father's headpiece with her red sash around her waist, a thin cord of leather also strung through the piece as a safety, tied to her pants.

Aika paid minimal attention to the old man that was giving things to the others, eyes trained on the horizon, wondering where Gara was, if Iroh and Zuko had found him, if Zuko and Iroh had even met up. Had they found Gara? Was Gara taking care of them? There were so many things could be going wrong-

"Aika, we're ready!" The firebender turned, seeing Katara clutching a new necklace, Aang holding a collection of scrolls, and Sokka obviously empty handed and unhappy about it. Aika sullenly noted she was left in the same boat as Sokka, though at least she hadn't expected anything. Quickly climbing, she found herself up on Appa's back beside the others, barely listening as Pakku announced, "Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There, you will be safe to begin your earthbending training with King Bumi."

Aang gave a nod, flicking the sky bison's reins. "Appa, yip yip!"

Katara called over the side as they rose into the sky, "Say hello to Gran-Gran for me!"

It finally dawned on her where they were going. Flying through the air and wind muffling her voice, she groaned. "Fong? Really? Ugh, that guys such an idiot."

Sokka asked, "What, did you work with him?"

Aika shook her head. "No, I was once involved in an assault against his fortress." The surprised, worried looks they gave her were given reply of her rolling her eyes. "Relax, it didn't work. General Sung, the guy before Fong, was a genius tactician. Our assault failed."

Sokka thoughtfully asked, "Wait, so you know Fire Nation strategies?"

Aika calmly responded, "Yeah, of course. I was involved in countless battles. I know their formations, most attack forms, and the locations of outposts across the Earth Kingdom."

Sokka brightened incredibly, suddenly gesturing excitedly as he exclaimed, "This is perfect! Think of all the strategies and advantages we'll have- we could help set up ambushes, and counter attacks to fight the Fire Nation!"

Aika glanced to the others, seeming a little overwhelmed by the sudden level of energy he had. "Uh, yeah. I'll help any way I c-"

Sokka's arms wrapped around her as he gushed, "We're going to start planning, now!"

Aika, already seeming unsure of what to do about Sokka hugging her, looked pleadingly to Katara for assistance, the other girl only fighting back her laughter.

Sokka releasing her, he eagerly prodded, "Well? Come on, lay it on me! You've gotta tell me everything!"

Aika looked like she was going to protest before letting out a sigh, relenting. "Fine, Ponytail, just- just pay attention. I'll only go through this once, so you'd better shut up and listen."

* * *

It was several hours of Sokka asking constant questions and Aika trying to explain to the best of her ability before they made it to Fong's base, Appa veering down to the ground. Aika groaned in relief, muttering, "Finally- if I had to explain the Spire Formation _one more time,_ I think I would've thrown him off." Katara laughed nervously, unsure of whether or not her friend was joking.

Having landed in the middle of the base, high walls of tanned earth rose above, green banners everywhere. Lines of soldiers along each wall, the ground littered with the earth disk symbol so common in the nation, Aika noting that those could be lifted by an earthbender for combat easier than random chunks of earth. A man, more colorfully clothed than the others, stood nearby, long hair pulled up in a golden hairpiece, his tan, white, and green clothes stopping before his bare feet, it wasn't hard to tell this was was the general.

Spreading his arms and smiling widely, he boomed in a hearty voice as the team got off the bison, "Welcome, Avatar Aang! I am General Fong, and welcome, to all of you great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara..." His eyes paused on Aika, narrowing ever so slightly at seeing her notched ear and red sash decorated with a Fire Nation hairpiece, pausing longest on her uncovered scarred arm. "... And I'm afraid I was not told of your coming."

Aika immediately picked up on his tone- he obviously didn't care for her kind, and it was apparent to her that he was very aware he knew she had been coming. In an icy voice, she responded, "Aika. I'm new to the group."

"Yes, of course. Welcome, all of you, to Huì Xīn Fortress!"

Katara arms crossed and chin raising proudly ever so slightly, she tested out the title: "Mighty Katara? I like that."

The earthbenders around them stomped in unison, launching fireworks into the air, the eruption of colors dying the blue sky a thousand new shades.

Sokka nodded approvingly with a sly smile, cheekily nodding. "Not bad, not bad."

Fong offered a welcoming smile, though his eyes never fell on Aika again as he said, "This way, if you would, my guests. We have much to discuss."

It was only a short walk from the open center of the base to the steps, through the wide corridors of the fort. Fong led them to a large open room near the top of the fortress, the back wall entirely open to look over the rest of the base below. The Earth Kingdom flag still draped on every wall, the room was empty except for Fong's desk, which he sat down at immediately, gesturing at the chairs on the other side- three of them. The four sharing a quick look, Aika gave the slightest shrug, her show that she was happy to remain standing, the others taking their seats.

Fong began in his deep bass, "Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you singlehandedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole." Stroking his long, thick beard, he thoughtfully mused, "I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility."

Aang casually excused, "I try not to think about it too much."

Fong's lips twitched ever so slightly into a smile, entirely relaxed as he said confidently, "Avatar, you're ready to face the Fire Lord now."

The reactions varied person to person, shock, horror, disbelief, and stifled laughter- it was obvious which reactions were whose- as Aang exclaimed, "What? No I'm not!"

Aika, biting back her laughter completely, remarked, "Aang's a lot of incredible things, but of all of them, ready to fight one of the most powerful firebenders alive and battle through the thousands of soldiers between him and Ozai isn't one of them. He's just a little kid."

Aang eagerly agreed, "I'm just a kid!"

Katara held out a hand reasonably, attempting to rationalize. "Aang still needs to master all four elements."

Fong stubbornly asked, "Why? With the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battle ships in a matter of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"

It was clear that Aang was disturbed by the thought of his own power, no one taking much notice as Sokka protested, "But sir, the thing is, Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar State."

Aang began to explain, "See, it's this special state where-"

"I'm well aware!" Fong cut in sharply, seeming slightly frustrated. "Your eyes and tattoos glow and you're able to summon unbelievable power. Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores." Wandering over to the wall, he looked at a collection of maps and guides that'd been pinned to the wall, finger tracing a path from his own base to the Fire Nation capital. "But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."

Aang sounded doubtful as he slowly said, "Right, but, I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less what to do once I'm there."

Fong spoke as if it were the simplest thing in the world: "So, it's decided then. I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State and then you'll face your destiny."

Aika's smile was gone now as she growled, "He's a person, not a weapon. How about you ask him before making decisions?"

Katara agreed angrily, "Exactly, nothing's decided! We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing his destiny _his_ way."

Fong sounded much more venomous as he countered, "Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the War goes on. May I show you something?" Aang reluctantly followed him to the open edge that overlooked the rest of the base. Gesturing to a building straight ahead and the crowd of men swarming toward it, he was much more solemn. "That's the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day, the Fire Nation takes lives. People are _dying_ , Aang! You could end it, _now_. Think about it."

Aang retreated back to his friends, Fong remaining by the window, watching the soldiers below. Aika didn't waste time, immediately insisting, "You can't listen to him, Aang. Whatever he said, you can't listen. Fong is a horrible strategist and an extremist. He'll talk a big game of saving lives, but he'll sacrifice however many lives it takes to reach his goal, his way."

Aang glanced toward Fong again uncertainly as Katara agreed, "You have to do this the right way, Aang!"

Aang slowly nodded, not looking the others in the eye. "... Yeah. You guys go ahead to the room, I'm just... going to tell Fong I can't help." He sounded absolutely devastated by those words.

Aika watched him walk, slowly following after Katara and Sokka as the walked out the door, softly murmuring, "He won't tell him no."

Sokka arched an eyebrow. "What? He just said-"

"Yeah, and he lied," Aika retorted. "Ponytail, he's feeling guilty. He was gone for a hundred years, of course he feels responsible. But he doesn't understand that there's only so much you can do without crossing a line."

At the door, a soldier was waiting, guiding them through the hallways to a simple barrack, beds tucked into the walls, simple and plain. Sokka happily tossed his bag up onto the highest bunk, jumping after it as Katara sat down in the one below him. Aika walking to the one beside them, she immediately laid back, letting out a sigh. "I still don't know why we're stopping here for an escort. We have a _flying buffalo."_

Sokka pointed out, "Hey, you didn't travel with us the whole time- it was ridiculous, always getting chased around by Zuko and Zhao-" His voice suddenly stopped, glancing at her as if he expected her to either punch him or cry, Katara doing the same.

Aika gave no reaction, closing her eyes. "Yeah, but they were traveling by water, and you guys were flying along the coastline in an easy to predict pattern. Now, we're going over land- nothing could keep up with us."

Both siblings seemed surprised by how little she seemed to emote, but before either could respond, Aang walked in the door, sitting down on the next empty bed. Before anyone could speak, he softly spoke: "I told the general I'd help him, by going into the Avatar State."

"Called it," Aika muttered as Katara sat up fast, shock written across her face. "Aang, no! This is not the right way!"

Sokka, laying back with arms folded under his head, casually said, "Why not? Remember when he took out the Fire Navy?" Eyes widening, he gestured wildly with his arms. "He was incredible!

Katara insisted, "There's a right way to do this. Practice, study, and discipline!"

Sokka continued in the same, relaxed tone as he pointed out, "Or just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord!"

Katara rose to her feet, throwing her feet up in frustration as she stormed out. "If you two meat heads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine, go ahead and glow it up!"

Aang followed her to the doorway, protesting, "Katara, I'm just being realistic! I don't have time to do this the right way!" Yet she stormed off down the hall, Aang watching her mournfully as she went. Turning around with a sigh, he glanced to Aika, who was pulling together scraps of cloth from her bag and laying them out on her bed. "What, you're not going to tell me what to do?"

Aika shrugged, pulling thread and a needle from her bag, stringing it with slight difficulty. "It's not my job. I've already told you what I think, but it's not my choice. You get to decide what you do- if I disagree, it's not like I run your life."

Aang seemed split between gratitude and frustration, sitting down on his bed, deep in thought.

* * *

The next day, the group was split, most dashing across the base all day after Fong- all but Aika. Instead, she wandered aimlessly throughout Huì Xīn. Having spent most of the previous night stitching together cloth for her arm, unable to sleep. Her old scar hidden beneath, she fiddled with where the thread was loose, muttering to herself habitually.

She didn't miss the whispers around her, the suspicious glares, the judgmental eyes that tried to tear her skin away and show everything. She just was too used to the eyes, the alienation. She'd say this much for the Fire Nation army- they at least knew how to integrate mutts like herself into a construct. Here, despite her efforts to ignore their reactions, she felt like she was taking a stroll behind enemy lines.

Reaching maximum boredom, but unwilling to watch Aang, she found herself climbing the many steps to reach the high walls of the fortress, sitting atop the edge, looking out over the trees below, watching soldiers come and go from the main gates, disappearing into the foliage.

She wouldn't watch Aang in that Avatar whatever. It honestly scared her that a kid had that much power, and it didn't seem like a good idea to play with power like that. Not when...

 _Water wrapping around her, panic flooding in, being lifted off the ground-_

... She knew what he could do like that.

Katara had told her everything- about how Aang could go into this state and become much more powerful, how he'd fused with La to do all that crazy stuff at the North Pole. To her, it sounded about as real as a child's dream. But she'd seen with her own eyes.

She didn't have the heart to tell Aang what had happened- she wasn't even sure if he remembered anything from being that fish thing, much less if it was even him who dragged Zhao into the water, just to disappear. What was she supposed to think?

Everything about the past few days was rattling around in her brain, making it impossible to focus on a single one of them, unable to isolate one to keep her mind locked on. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Iroh, Zhao- everything was just piling up.

Legs swinging over the edge, she sighed, entirely unaffected by the distance up from the ground she was at.

She wandered the base all day, attempting to dodge the obvious distrust of the soldiers around her, their despising looks at her notched ear. Despite how self-conscious it made her, hiding it never made it better. She'd always seemed to get found out anyway, so why bother trying to hide it? People knew the looks of someone like her- pale skin, darker hair than was usual in the area, her eyes- everything about her was like walking around holding a sign saying "I'm Fire Nation, kill me now!"

Rubbing her aching arm, trying to think of anything- but there was nothing else _to_ think about but the last few days.

* * *

The entire day, and most of the next, Aika was bored out of her skull.

Refusing to allow herself to think at all, for fear of any stray memory or ridiculous train of thought bringing her to the subjects she refused to think of, she had nothing to do but wander and attempt to distract herself. It'd gotten to the point that she was currently in the base infirmary, sweeping. None of them trusted her enough to even brush against them, though apparently, they didn't hold the same fear for the dust.

Or, she was at least, until the entire plaza burst into chaos.

A massive crash came from the plaza, earth flying from the upper levels and falling to the ground, soldiers flocking to the sound. Whirling to the sound, she squinted at the giant hole in the base's walls, seeing a bulky figure that could only be Fong.

"Men! Attack the Avatar!"

Aika immediately groaned, flinging her head back to look up at the ceiling in exasperation. "I'm going to kill you one of these days, Aang!"

Soldiers from around the infirmary split, most racing to the plaza, though a few began a ring around her, Aika grumbling cuss words under her breath as she lifted her head again, leaning against her broom in annoyance. "C'mon guys, can we not? I'm really not feeling this. I've been fighting a lot lately, and I was really feeling like a break."

Several of the earthbenders stomped in unison, several rocks rising from the ground as Aika sighed.

"I can never catch a damn break..."

Rocks flew forward to where she stood in the center of their circle, Aika quickly dropping down to her stomach, the boulders colliding over her head, rubble raining down on her back. The dust swallowing the clearing, Aika still held onto her broom, lunging to her feet with a shove. Unable to see, she moved straight forward, where a soldier had just stood, gauging the distance and swinging her broom as brutally at his head- the bristled end colliding with his face, he fell to the ground, Aika immediately spinning on her heel, flames flying from her free hand at her side, the force of the flame clearing the air immediately around her.

The nearest soldier now within sight, the two raced at one another- or at least tried. With a swift move on his part, the earth moved like putty as Aika's foot fell, suddenly trapped ankle deep in the earth, the rock wrapped entirely around her ankle. Aika suddenly stuck, she swung forward with her own momentum, flung down onto one knee, twisting quickly to swing her leg and hook her foot around his ankle, pulling him to the ground quickly. Having fallen close, she slammed her elbow down on his throat.

Standing still, trapped and with no assistance in sight, she glanced to see no Katara, Aang desperately dodging soldiers, and Sokka doing what he could and yelling in panic as he jumped on an ostrich horse. She didn't have much option left, lifting her hands above her head, dropping the broom. "Alright, alright- seems you've got me. I won't put up a fight."

The soldiers didn't seem convinced, though one had to step slightly closer as he stomped downward, more earth surging up to trap her, this time wrapping her free leg up to the knee, leaving her entirely trapped in place. Still, she didn't seem the slightest bit panicked, hands on her hips. "C'mon, is this really necessary? I'm just one little mutt, aren't I?"

The soldiers seemed to be of the same mindset, one approaching without much caution, reaching for her forearm just in time for her to snatch his wrist first, fingers locked around his arm as she twisted and yanked sharply toward herself, wrapping her other arm around his neck, slowly cutting off his air supply. The other soldiers immediately tensed and stood ready for attack as Aika put a crazed, manic grin on her face. "Hey hey hey, wouldn't want to hit him, would you? No, be patient and wait your turn, boys!"

Of course, it was entirely an act. She had very little for options at this point, and was running with what she had. They thought she was a crazed lunatic with the "natural murderous tendencies of a Fire Nation soldier," then that's exactly what they'd get.

The soldier struggled against her grip, but Aika had a good grip on his neck and arm, allowing him little freedom to attack, his free arm tearing desperately at her grip-lock on his throat. The standoff continued, until the red-faced soldier slumped completely, his sudden weight nearly knocking her off her feet.

She knew what was coming next- it was going to hurt, but she didn't have much choice.

Letting the soldier fall unconscious on his back, it took only a few seconds for a rock to be sent flying her way- no attempt to dodge was made, and the small boulder collided with her stomach, the momentum tearing her out of the earth that had pinned her in place. Tumbling back, stomach burning and feet cut from the brutal escape, she attempted her usually graceful transition back to standing, achieving her goal without the usual elegance. Only a couple feet from the nearest soldier, she pushed away the pain, focus pushing through.

Flames sprung to life in her fist as she threw a punch at a soldier's chest, sending him stumbling back as she side-stepped an incoming boulder. The nearest soldier, a tall man behind her, quickly lashed out, getting an arm around her entire torso, pinning arms to her sides, though she quickly freed herself with a quick fling of her head into his nose. Suddenly released, she was sucking in her breath slow and steady, her throat heating up, she was half crouching, the soldiers having condensed their circle, she sat careful on one heel, prepped to execute a move she'd once seen a particular general use in battle to incredible effect.

Emptying her lungs, flames burst forth from her maw and spinning on the raw heel of her foot, scorching the faces of the soldiers as they stumbled back, clinging to their burns and exposed skin. Panting from the sudden use of energy, Aika didn't need an invitation- she raced out of the disjointed circle, escaping quickly, her gut pulling her toward where Aang was fighting, for some horrifically dumb reason she couldn't figure out for herself.

Sokka and Katara at the base of the fortress's steps, there was two rows of soldiers and a prizefight between Aang and Fong going on between them.

So why the actual _hell,_ she had to ask herself, was she running toward the most dangerous part of the fight? Not a clue was in Aika's mind, just the panic of _alright, we're running, we're punching, we're running again._

Katara racing down to attack the nearest soldiers with what little water was in the pouch on her back, Sokka knocked a soldier off his ostrich-horse with his boomerang, quickly stealing the mount and flailing as he charged at the soldiers, clinging nervously to the animal's neck.

Aang was up a staircase- good, he was safer up there. Fong was straight ahead- even better. Aika had her eyes set on her prize, dodging earth coins that flew her way left and right.

Katara only a few feet away, every earth coin still laying on the ground rose with the soldiers' motions, creating an arrowhead figure that trapped Fong, Katara, and Aika in its center- no escape except past the general. Katara freezing in place to think, Aika still charging forward thoughtlessly, Fong yelled to the young Avatar, "Maybe you can avoid me ... but _they_ can't."

Aika saw his movement and immediately anticipated, springing off the ground with both feet, jets of flame at her heels propelling her upward and matching spurt of flames from her bending hand to keep herself even- however, with only one hand to balance herself, she had little control of where she was going, besides somewhere over Fong's head. He quickly launched a boulder upward at her, Aika unable to control her movements resorting to releasing her flames entirely, dropping suddenly just before Fong. Falling face forward, she leaned until she collided painfully with the ground shoulder-first, tumbling and struggling to get her bearings back again as quickly as usual. By the time she'd gotten to her knees, Fong slammed a foot into the ground, an outcropping of rock jolted forward to hit her abdomen, knocking her brutally back down.

Her gut on fire, unsure of whether she was standing or laying down for a few seconds, Aika couldn't fight through the pain before calloused hands wrapped around her arms, an iron-gripped hand on the back of her neck.

Tugging at the arms holding her, Aika quickly took in a few drastic changes- Katara buried halfway up to her waist in muddy earth, Sokka hanging halfway through an earth coin, Aang racing to Fong, who stood threateningly over the waterbender.

Aang's worried voice cried out from above, "Don't hurt her!"

 _A plan. Shit!- I need a damn plan!_ Glancing back, a soldier had each of her arms, on holding onto her neck as well to keep her restrained. Her flames? No, her palm was facing away from the soldiers- they knew she'd try that. She'd burn herself before anything worth happening came around. No way to turn around and breathe fire at them- they'd seen that trick and were trying to prevent it, apparently. No way to break their grip, no trick she could pull- not without more time. But Katara- she needed help! How was she supposed to focus when Water Girl could _die?_

Aang was clutching Fong's forearm, begging desperately, "Stop this! You have to let her go!"

Fong glared down at the boy, cruelly growling, "You could save her if you were in the Avatar State!"

Aang, tears in his eyes, pleaded, "I'm trying ... I'm trying!"

Katara sank down to her chest, panic rising in her voice. "Aang, I'm sinking!"

 _Come on, think! There's always a way out! Always!_

Fong's demanding tone became even harder, snapping, "I don't see glowing! Apparently, we need more motivation- kill the firebender! She's just a mutt, anyway."

Tears flowed down Aang's face as his fear and panic seemed to multiply exponentially, but a smile spread across Aika's.

 _Perfect._

A hand reached for her face from behind, closing over her her mouth and nose- but she'd already sucked in all the breath she needed. Releasing it in a single huff, a soldier's screams echoed as his burning hand pulled away, her left hand suddenly free. Bending her hand back, her hand hovered next to the one on her right arm and exuded scarlet flame before the second soldier could even react, Aika racing forward with the first semblance of escape, eyes never leaving Katara, now neck deep.

 _Got to get there, got to save her, got to-_

Katara gave a small scream of fear as she sank entirely into the earth, Aang leaping to save her, but too late.

Aika didn't stop- she had to keep going, there was something she could do, there had to be!

She did stop, however, when Aang's tattoos burned electric white, iris, pupil, and all of his eyes having turned the same brilliant shade.

Fong's triumphant, manically ecstatic yelling was lost to the wind, as air blasted outward in a vortex around Aang, everyone within a quarter mile suddenly flung back. Aika skidded across the earth for a couple seconds before her feet left the ground completely, despite her best efforts to dig her fingers into the ground.

Hitting the ground again near the wall of the compound, she rolled on her side for a few seconds before stopping, finally able to get herself upright again- leaning against the wall to fight the wind force upright, however.

Eyes narrowed against the savage winds, hair whipping her face, Aika could see Katara kneeling near Aang, near enough to the center that the air didn't send her flying, looking sorrowfully at the boy as he floated at the top of the cyclone, unaffected by the yelling of Fong that she could only catch snippets of through the stormy air.

"...Aang! -hear me? Your friend- ...a trick- ... worked!"

Either Aang didn't listen or couldn't hear, because the vortex of air just grew stronger, the compound's plaza in absolute ruins, Aika knew she had to find a solution- so why was she frozen in fear?

 _Come on, it's just Aang- pathetic, adorable kid Aang! Just go!_

Yet there was so much of her that just insisted that this was also the same kid that almost dragged her into an icy canal to die with her father.

No one could approach the cyclone, and Aang showed no signs of stopping- until he suddenly began to lower back toward the ground, the wind fading as the glowing of his tattoos started to fade. Landing as the air settled completely, he nearly collapsed from the strain, Katara carefully hugged him close, supporting him as he looked mournfully at the destruction- and man, was it extensive. Any building there had been in the compound, it was either entirely collapsed or badly damaged from the air flinging debris around.

Aika started to walk over, careful of the soldiers pulling themselves together, Aang and Katara were softly speaking.

Aang's voice dripping regret, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that again."

Katara barely opened her mouth to reply as Fong suddenly stood tall, brushing himself off as he proclaimed proudly, "Ha! Are you joking? That was almost perfect!" His hand to his chin, his tone became thoughtful as he muttered, "We just have to find out a way to control you when you're like that."

Aang allowed the anger to freely show in his reply. "You're out of your mind."

Fong shrugged, not seeming to listen to Aang. "I guess we'll figure it out on the way to the Fi-"

The heel of Aika's hand collided upwardly into his chin, the general stumbling back, only for her elbow to quickly slam into his jugular vein, knocking him to the ground cold. Aika standing over the fallen general, glaring angrily as she rubbed her sore fingers, muttering to herself, "I swear, you're so lucky I'm not currently holding anything sharp, asshole." She was really in the mood to shiv someone.

Sokka, having gotten back on his new ostrich-horse friend, now rode up quickly, looking slightly miffed at not getting to use the club in his hand, instead turned to the soldiers as he rode up to the others. "Anybody got a problem with that?"

The soldiers all shook their heads, terrified into silence- Aika could understand. A boy barely up to her shoulders had just about torn the base apart with a single element, despite having control over all. Knowing what he was capable of.. it was overwhelming to know you were outmatched that badly.

One soldier mustering his confidence, he stepped forward, nervously asking, "Do you still want an escort to Omashu?"

Aika was entirely prepared to shoot a fiery retort, though Katara beat her to it, to her surprise. "I think we're all set."

Aika glanced toward Katara, vaguely impressed. "Hmm, we'll make a fighter out of you yet, Water Girl."

It didn't take long for the group to pack up and return to the skies, Appa soaring him above and quickly leaving the fortress behind.

Sitting around in the saddle, all but Aang who sat on Appa's head as usual, Katara shook her head, arms crossed over her chest angrily. "That general was absolutely insane."

Aika, leaning on a pile of bed rolls, shrugged as she responded, "You'll find most people high in the Earth Kingdom army are." The action of shrugging making her burning abdomen itch with the sensation, gritting her teeth. _Great, probably bruised my ribs up again, my feet are all torn up again... Ugh, this is going to be an annoying couple of days while that heals._

"Aika," The half-breed turned to the sound of her name, seeing Katara's worried eyes set on her. "Are you alright? I saw you back there- those soldiers-"

"Fine. I got through alright. Why you asking me? You're the one who was drowning in dirt."

Katara was suddenly glancing away, obviously still shaken by her experience. "I-I'm okay. It was a bit- actually, really scary, but I'm okay."

Aika nodded, the two holding each other's gaze, a sort of cool understanding as they looked to one another. They'd grown closer over the last few weeks of seeing each other whenever the firebender returned, but now, being a solid group together again, the two girls had started to grow closer once again. At least, that's how Aika felt. She trusted Katara more than the boys, anyway. Aang was just too young and naive, Sokka too... Sokka-ish.

As if to prove her point, Sokka suddenly said, "Wow, you two need a room?"

Suddenly, the boy found himself under the fire of two brutal death glares, though Aika's focus was starting to shift. Thinking about people she trusted... why had _his_ face come to mind? She barely could believe she trusted a single person in this world, much less him. So why? Why was she suddenly wondering where he was, if he'd found Gara, if he was alright? Why should she care about someone else?

And why was it scary to think he wasn't okay?

* * *

It had been several days at sea, and the sea-sickness had been incapacitating at best. The little boat's weak sail had quickly been shredded by the harsh winds, and with no oars, there was little way to navigate through the icy waters. Iroh and Zuko left stranded on the water, it was a miracle that they'd drifted far enough south to be found the by pirate's vessel. Gara and his crew quickly pulled the two up, though it took them several days to recover even their consciousness after days of dehydration and malnutrition. The ship kept moving along the western coastline of the Earth continent, curving into the bay; it wasn't until they hit this small town that Zuko finally got to his feet.

Having been trapped under constant watch by the thin but oddly strong pirate Oh, they'd been resting and recovering in the ship's storage room where the pirates had hung some hammocks made from torn tarps.

Iroh having recovered a day before Zuko was already on the deck of the ship when Zuko finally wandered out into daylight for the first time in days. Squinting against the blinding sun, he quickly focused on the outline of his uncle at the bow of the ship, next to the vaguely familiar form of the captain, a flicker of annoyance moving through Zuko's mind.

The captain- Gara, he'd learned he was named- had visited daily, mumbling angrily and personally affronted by their presence, complaining that they were taking up precious cargo space. Zuko would've gladly set the entire boat on fire- but he was constantly reminded by his uncle why he couldn't.

Walking across the deck, he quickly reached the two, slightly surprised to hear Iroh and Gara chuckling.

Zuko didn't bother listening to whatever they'd been saying before, simply cutting in rudely, "Where are we?"

Gara, wrinkled brow growing even more creased as he glared at Zuko, grumbled at Iroh, "Would your damn nephew happen to have a mute switch?"

Zuko opened his mouth to snap at the pirate, Iroh speaking first in his usual relaxed, soothing rumble. "Forgive my nephew for his rudeness. He simply does not know how to express his gratitude for all you have done for us."

Gara muttered cuss words under his breath, yet he seemed silently placated. "We just pulled into port- little resort village, don't remember the damn name- know we're near Dassō-sha, though."

Zuko arched an eyebrow, surprised. Had they honestly been moving for that long? How long had he been out? It'd been awhile, he knew, but honestly, a lot of the days had blurred together. The facts could be dreams, dreams could be reality with how the last week had burned him out.

Gara crossed his arms, glaring out over the ship's edge. The steep hillside was peppered with small huts, a staircase winding its way up the hill and through the trees. "This is your stop, boys. I signed on to take Snake back once she slipped out of her prison, not two Fire Nation royals. This is more trouble than its worth, you two are."

Zuko looked Gara over sharply, realizing he was talking about Aika. "Why do you call her 'Snake?'"

Gara smirked suddenly, though it was different than the usual quirk of his lips- it was softer, almost fond, despite it's still present hard edge of rough humor. "The kid's a natural thief. I've never seen someone as suited for snatching purses as her. She'll have robbed ya blind before you even realize she was there. Not to mention I've never seen someone keep her where she doesn't wanna be for more than a day- too scaly and slippery to hold." He chuckled to himself for a moment, glancing up to see Iroh's concerned, pensive face. "... You never did tell me- ya said Snake sent ya. Why wasn't she with you?"

Zuko suddenly cut in, "She decided to stay. Zhao was dragged down by some spirit monster, and-"

"Wait, wait- what?" Gara's wide eyes tore over Zuko, sharply demanding, "Is that old beast finally dead?"

Zuko nodded slowly, though more to himself than anything. He'd hated Zhao, held nothing but contempt for him- so why was there a pang of guilt in his chest every time he heard that name?

 _Maybe it was that look in her eyes- dead and empty. Broken and defeated next to the canal, bleeding and crying._

He'd been there. He hadn't saved Zhao, and for some reason, that was gnawing at his guts. Why was it? Was it because a human life was lost, no matter how cruel and wicked, or because the mutt he was so confused by had seemed so shattered by it, that it gave the slightest glimpse into the mirror maze of her mind?

"... What do you know about Aika? Both of you?"

The two older men exchanged glances- it was obvious they'd already discussed this subject. Gara stubbornly growled, "I ain't snitchin' on Snake, little prince. I'd suggest getting your ass along off the road."

Iroh set a hand on Zuko's shoulder- a silent plea to calm down. "Relax, my nephew. It's not our business. Come now, we've already overstayed our welcome."

The two packed what little of belongings they had left, and within minutes, the pirate vessel was sailing off into the expanses of the bay. Zuko immediately turned on Iroh, insisting, "He told you something- what was it?"

Iroh sighed heavily, slowly starting up the steps to the resort. "There is little we know, Prince Zuko. And perhaps if we wish to know more, the best would be to ask Aika herself."

"Yeah, because she's just going to run into us in this random, rinky-dink village!"

"She's found us before- I get the feeling she'll do it again."

Zuko grit his teeth angrily, following Iroh up the stairs with stomping steps. "Well, what did you find out, at least?"

Iroh carefully asked, "What do you find so important to know?" There was nothing accusing to his tone- only concern, curiosity.

"She's helped us for no reason, even though we're enemies! She fights us, then helps us, and you don't think we should figure out how to evade her?"

"I don't think she's someone we need to 'evade,' Prince Zuko. And I'm not sure we could even if it was our wish."

 **Huì Xīn- "knowing"**

* * *

 **ASK AIKA!**

 **Q: What's your favorite color?**

A: "Umm... definitely not pink. I would never contribute the the patriarchy's power in such a way. No, I, uh... I'm a black kinda girl. Like my soul. ...Yeah."

 **Q: So... ( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º) Top or bottom?**

A: "... I'm afraid that's classified information, though I'm a bit surprised it isn't obvious. Do I seem like the type to go low? Wow. Wait, who the hell told you that? Excuse me quick, I've got a throat to slit."

 **Q: Why won't you fight with a weapon? You're short a bit of fire, why not get some sword to make up for it?**

A: "Oh yeah, why don't I just chop off your arm and suggest that you strap a butter knife to the stump. That'll definitely make it all better. It's not something I can replace, so leave me alone. I get along fine without it."

 **Q: What's the best memory you have of your parents? (Not necessarily together.)**

A: "... I guess when I first created fire with my mother. She was proud of me, supportive, excited... I try to remember her like that, rather than how she was when I last saw her. She was the most kind-hearted person I'd ever known. Zhao, well... I used to have good memories. They've gotten a little corrupted since he tried to kill me multiple times."

 **Q: What's your biggest secret?**

A: "Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, would it? However, I'll let you in on one I've kept to myself since I was six: I broke my mother's vase, and I convinced her it was a bird that knocked it off the windowsill. This obviously was the start of my horrific life of crime."

 **Q: Aika, would you let your father survive if you could turn back time?**

A: "Whoa, whoa, whoa... that is, about, twenty levels of nope that I'm not ready for. Maybe? No? Probably? Jeez, get back to me- okay, yeah, I'll call you, please don't call me."


	15. Chapter 15: The Cave of Two Lovers

**Hey guys, back at it again! The last chapter was a little plain and not too much happened, and I'm a bit embarrassed to say the same is here, though I felt happy with a few moments. I was enraged last night when I stayed up until 3 AM writing this chapter and the site proceeded to suddenly log me out and I threw my computer at the floor in rage and immersed in the anguish of losing 3,000 words in an instant. I rewrote this, but it's simply not as good because I was too done with everything.**

 **A quick heads-up, there's a bit of change to the story in terms of timing. Usually, the interaction between Zuko and Song would happen in this episode- however, the timeline was thrown off by the fact that they were at sea for much longer with Gara and our pirate buddies than in canon. So, as a result, the rest of their arc occurs about two episodes farther back; i.e., they'd be "recruited" by Azula in this episode instead of the past one to account for the time dilation.**

 **And may I just say, your reviews are so freaking uplifting, they are just about the only reason I was able to rewrite this chapter in an instant.**

Chapter 15: The Cave of Two Lovers

"I swear, splash me one more time and you're going to have a case of hot foot in the middle of the night!"

Aika was at the shoreline of a thin river, attempting to get a fire going, though Sokka, floating contentedly in the water, occasionally splashing her in a playful attempt.

Sokka rolled his eyes, yelling, "The water isn't even up to your knees! Just come in!"

Aika shot back, "Oh yeah, and nobody's ever drowned in shallow water! If you want anything to eat tonight, shut the hell up."

Sokka glared at her grumpily, though his eyes quickly slid over to the possum chicken she had skewered on a stick, ready to be cooked. He grudgingly paddled away, watching Aang and Katara practice their bending instead.

Aika finally finishing with her pile of logs, she quickly built a ring of rocks around the edge before tossing a handful of fire onto the logs. Hefting her meat, she proceeded to sit patiently, humming idly to herself, tapping her hip with her free hand to the song she didn't know the words to- she held nothing but a vague memory of the tune from when she was younger. The people would gather together, sing and dance, play and drink as they celebrated, though she never knew what they were so happy about, or why they had to sneak into the mountains near the village to do it. She always thought it would've been so much easier just to have it in the plaza, though she knew there must've been something her younger self hadn't understood.

The possum-chicken perfectly cooked, she pulled it off, yelling, "Meat-eaters, get over here! Vegetarians, I know you still have your lychee nuts!"

Sokka had no hesitation racing forward to reach immediately for the steaming meat, drooling in anticipation.

 _Thwack!_

The end of the stick hit Sokka's temple, the boy reeling back looking offended. Aika glared fiercely, lips pressed tightly in annoyance. "Can you wait literally ten seconds to split this up evenly?"

Sokka defended, "Hey, I was just gonna grab a leg!"

"Sure, and I'm an Airbender mercenary named Ting Ting. Here," She carefully split the leg off, handing it over, giving the other leg to Katara, cutting what remained into three pieces equally, wrapping two in cloth and tearing into the last.

Sokka hummed his approval, quickly reaching bone and complimenting grudgingly, "Wow, you're actually a good cook."

Aika scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What do you mean 'actually?' I've been making my own food since I joined the Fire Nation army. In fact, I used to help out the cooks when they yelled that I was being lazy. I've always been good at flame-broil."

Sokka had already completely zoned out, focus on his chunk of meat, Katara making mental note of Aika's strange talent before digging in also, Aika joining. Aang sitting on Appa, who still was happily floating along the river, a handful of leechee nuts in hand, trying to avoid looking at the carnivores.

Through the trees, the peace of the river's song was challenged by new lyrics, four heads turning to the new voices and strum of a gentle guitar.

"Da, da, da. Don't fall in love with the traveling girl. She'll leave you broke and brokenhearted."

Sokka, Aang, and Katara looking curiously into the woods, Aika cautiously slid one leg under herself so she was in a slight crouch, ready to move rapidly if need be.

A group of five, colorfully dressed and dark-haired people came meandering through the trees, seeming to dance and sway as they sashayed closer and closer. The one who sang and plucked happily at the strings of his guitar suddenly stopped, the rest behind him stopping as well. "Hey, river people!"

Katara, still dripping wet and only in her undergarments, looked at the newcomers with a strange stare, puzzled by their sudden and abrupt appearance. "We're not river people."

The guitar-player frowned in slight confusion, asking, "You're not? Well, then what kind of people are you?"

Aang, sliding down Appa's side, the Airbender splashed down into the knee-deep water, appearing entirely unafraid of the new strangers. "Just ... people."

Guitar-player chuckling, he spread his hands, guitar hanging on his chest by a string over his shoulder. "Aren't we all, brother?"

Sokka standing and walking closer as Aika let out a slight sigh, he inspected the newcomers closely. "Who are you?"

Aika could already tell- damn nomads. They were nothing but an annoyance- they didn't even carry money on them, so they were entirely useless, in her opinion. She'd run into her fair share of wanderers in her time away and had figured out at this point that if you just ignored them, they went away. Content to this mindset, she continued to tear into her meal, paying little to no attention to them anymore..

"I'm Chong and this is my wife, Lily. We're nomads, happy to go wherever the wind takes us!" His previously gently strumming became a frenzied dance across the strings, Chong letting out a low, laid-back yell of excitement, Aika wrinkling her nose in annoyance.

 _So damn loud... Do they even realize how obnoxious they are?_

Aang however, seemed to be joining in their excitement. "You guys are nomads? That's great! I'm a nomad!"

Chong matched his joy, exclaiming in clueless wonder, "Hey, me too!"

Aang's happy demeanor took a blow, seeming confused again. "I know ... you just said that."

Chong seemed stunned to hear this, merely stating, "Oh." Glancing over at Sokka, he suddenly gave the comment, "Nice underwear..."

Sokka suddenly seeming to realize how little he was wearing at this comment, using Momo as a towel as he slipped off to the trees where he'd changed before.

Appa wading out of the water, laying down contentedly on the beach, Aika effectively ignoring whatever they were talking about with the nomads as she flopped over on her back, yawning. Having seen that it was a group of nomads, she didn't have any worries anymore- they were the most harmless bunch she'd ever seen, and despite being eccentric and random, she'd always appreciated that they didn't care if she was a mutt. And damn, she was tired... She hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since the North Pole for obvious reasons, but a quick nap sounded amazing...

Half asleep with eyes closed, pleasantly warmed by the small fire she'd made, she didn't stir until-

"O-ma- _shu!"_

Sitting up with a vaguely annoyed look on her face, Sokka was facing the group with a particularly funny look of rage on his face.

Katara agreed, "Sokka's right. We need to find King Bumi, so Aang can learn earthbending somewhere safe."

Oh, they were talking about where we were going? It was so strange, having no real goal anymore, at least not personally. Just following Aang's little trip was fine, but... she couldn't deny it felt a bit wrong. Despite living in the world, she honestly didn't feel much need to save it. Why was that supposed to be her responsibility? Hell, why was it Aang's? None of this was their job, and yet here they were, trying to teach Aang about bending so that he could defeat an entire nation. It felt much better when I was racing ahead full-steam, not stumbling alongside these bunch.

Suddenly, she realized Chong was speaking. "-an old story about a secret pass right through the mountains."

Wait, the Cave of Two Lovers? Was his head so up in the clouds, he was considering that old myth a legitimate travel route?

Katara asked curiously, "Is this real or a legend?"

Chong assured, "Oh, it's a real legend. And it's as old as earthbending itself." Fingers gently plucking at the strings of his lute, he began singing in that soft, rough voice of his.

 _"Two lovers, forbidden from one another, the war divides their people and the mountain divides them apart! Built a path to be together!"_ He suddenly stopped, seeming slightly confused. "Yeah, I forget the next couple of lines, but then it goes..." Suddenly kneeling dramatically, he continued to sing as the other nomads danced, sang along softly, played their flute, or tapped drums gently: _"Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel! Through the mountains, secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel! Yeah!"_

Aika suddenly cut in, "You realize if the tunnel was real, the Fire Nation would've used it as a straight shot to Omashu, right? Besides, you don't even know all the words. You completely forgot about-" Sitting up straight, she growled out in a low croon, _"And die!"_

Sokka looked at her in confusion, surprised by her sudden, almost playful outburst. She was a hard person to read and even harder to predict.

Chong laughing lightly, he pointed at her in his typical, relaxed joy. "Hey hey, that's it!"

Sokka shook his head, arms crossed. "I think we'll just stick with flying. We've dealt with the Fire Nation before. We'll be fine."

Aang, surprisingly, agreed with an amicable smile, "Yeah, thanks for the help, but Appa hates going underground. And we need to do whatever makes Appa most comfortable."

It didn't take long to take off- not when both Aika and Sokka were eager to get away from the annoyance of the nomads. Packing up the sky bison again, they quickly found themselves flying again, soaring over the trees as Katara and Aang waved their goodbyes.

However, as Aika glanced down and saw they were going over land, she suddenly was much less sure of herself. "Aang, where are you going?"

"Uh, over the mountains?"

Sitting up straight, Aika blinked in a stunned state, protesting, "Aang, there's a Fire Nation base there. They've been occupying the section of mountainside _we're flying right into_ for nearly a decade, setting up strategic outposts to take down Omashu."

Aang blinked, obviously worried. "How are we supposed to get there, then?"

"Well, safest way is to go around the mountains. Veer right and we'll end up taking several days of a detour over the forest- probably another week. Go left, and we'll be going over the sea- which wouldn't take so long if it weren't for the fact that there's constant patrols by the Fire Navy. I usually just stow away on ships and don't have this problem, but with Appa... that could take us another week and a half."

Katara asked, "Are you sure it'll be that long? I mean, Appa's a lot faster than being on foot."

Aika deadpanned as she explained, "I _was_ taking that into account. By foot or by stowing away, either of those routes are usually upward of _two_ weeks."

Sokka protested, "Oh come on, we can make it! We just have to out-fly them. It's just a base- we soar on by, and get to Omashu in a day!"

Aika looked at him with incredulous awe. "Wow. Just _wow_. Is there any end to your wisdom, oh genius?"

Sokka, choosing to ignore the insult, folded his arms confidently. "Not that I can see."

Aika trapped in complete awe of Sokka's clueless nature, Aang encouraged, "It'll be fine, Aika. We'll get over the base- Appa's way too good to get taken down."

It wasn't an hour later that the four were clinging to the saddle, screaming and trying not to fall from the sky bison's back as flaming catapults unloaded their fiery hail on the fleeing Gaang, not even making it to the base before whirling around. As they tried to regain their composure, Aika couldn't help yelling over the wind in anger, "'It'll be fine, Aika! We can make it, Aika!' I swear, I'm never listening to you guys again!"

Sokka protested, "How was I supposed to know-"

 _"I told you exactly what was here, dumbass!"_

Katara, seeing how Aika was becoming heated enough for steam to be slowly trailing from her nostrils, attempted to make peace again. "Hey, just relax. We can just take the tunnel that Chong told us about."

Aika turned to her, asking with sarcasm dripping from her voice, "Did you hear the part about dying? Besides, I'm not even sure if the tunnels really exist. I mean, I've heard the stories of Oma and Shu, but I don't know how true they are."

"Well, I guess it's worth a shot," Aang optimistically input, excited about the prospect of a new adventure. The others, however, we obviously more hesitant.

"Sure," Aika muttered, letting her head loll backwards and stare at the sky. "The amount of positivity in the air here is starting to make me gag."

It was a short flight back to the riverside where they'd left the nomadic group, finding the crew was still there, laying around happily.

Walking past, Sokka pointed forward in annoyance, grumbling, "Secret love cave, let's go."

* * *

Aika was picking at a scab on her arm in boredom as they walked up the mountainside, eyes lidded in her apathy. Sokka had been asking constantly how far, and the nomadsnomads gave more and more vague answers about the trip that is life itself. Yet where she would've gotten angry or frustrated, she was strangely quiet and withdrawn, walking farther away from the crew near the end, not even as alert as she usually was. Yet it was what she had to do- if she didn't make her mind go blank, the thoughts would come back, the memories, her failures. She couldn't let it swoop in and crush her.

Katara leaned over to Aang where they walked near the nomadsnomads, their whispers hidden under the quick strumming of their instruments. Glancing back to Aika, she asked softly, "Do you think she's okay? I mean, I know she didn't like Zhao, but she's acting so different, I'm worried for her."

Aang's smile slid to a pensive look of concern, looking back to see their fire-bending friend. "He was still her father, after everything. I'm just not sure if she needs space or needs us."

Katara let out a quiet sigh, pursing her lips. She hated seeing her friends in pain, and despite how she tried to hide it, Aika obviously was hurting. It'd been hard to see at Fong's base, with how she isolated herself, but she couldn't keep it hidden now. But this wasn't something she knew how to fix- Sokka needed gentle reassurance, Aang needed comforting when he felt unsure- Aika had never opened up and let them help her. She always thought she had to be strong, and Katara didn't know how to break through to her. "I don't know, but I'll find out. We're here if she needs us."

Despite Sokka's constant complaints, it wasn't long before they reached the base of the mountain range, a massive tunnel carved into the stone, kanji inscribed over the massive doorway.

Chong suddenly announced, "Hey-hey! We're here!"

Aika barely avoiding walking into Appa's tail, jolted out of her stupor, glancing around as Sokka suspiciously asked, "What exactly is this curse?"

Chong simply explained, "The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise, you'll be trapped in them forever."

Lily cheerily interjected, "And die."

Aang and Katara glancing between each other nervously, Sokka was outraged, though Aika didn't seem to have any reaction, turning around and looking to the treeline.

Chong happily continued, "Oh yeah, and die." Brightening with a grin, he pronounced, "Hey, I just remembered the rest of that song!" Standing dramatically in the cave entrance, he gave a single chord and boomed, _"And die."_

Sokka threw his hands in the air, yelling, "That's it! There's no way we're going through some cursed hole!"

"Might want to think twice, Ponytail." Aika gestured to the smoke drifting over the trees. "Fire Nation tanks, two or three. We have maybe five minutes, probably half that."

Sokka's mind whirling with options, Aang was still as optimistic as ever. "So all you need to do is trust in love to get through these caves?"

Chong, unperturbed by the incoming soldiers, winked to the younger nomads. "That is correct, Master Arrowhead."

Aang looked at Katara, cheeks turning rosy red as a smile took over his face- he never could doubt what he felt for her. "We can make it."

Sokka's decision was much more logical: death hole or flaming tanks. "Everyone into the hole!"

Starting to rush into the cave, the tanks approached, Aika disappearing last into the dark of the cave before they rolled to a stop at the entry.

One soldier giving a command from the tank's hatch quickly held out his arm. "Hold on! It's too dangerous. Haven't you heard the song? Just close them in. The mountain will take care of the rest."

And inside the cave, all light disappeared as the tanks fired on the cave entry, rocks tumbling down to lock their only known escape. Appa immediately rushed back to the doorway, scratching at the boulders as Aika quickly lit a flame in her palm, the only light in the massive tunnel, orange flames casting long shadows that danced on the walls to music only they could hear. She didn't honestly care if the nomadsnomads saw her firebending- in her experience, nomadsnomads were about as unbiased as she was in the war.

As if to prove her point, Moku smiled and pointed at her palm. "Hey, you made a campfire in your hand!"

Chong chuckled. "Hehe, right on, now I can see my strings!"

Yeah, she didn't see any reason to worry.

Katara pating Appa's shoulder comfortingly, she soothed, "It's okay, Appa. We'll be fine. I hope."

Sokka calmly promised, "We will be fine. All we need is a plan. We don't even need torches, since we have Hothead over here!"

Aika shot him an annoyed look, arching an eyebrow. "Seriously? You can't come up with your own nickname, so you steal the one I use for Princey? You hurt me, Ponytail, you hurt me."

Sokka opened his mouth to retort as Katara asked, "How long can you keep up that flame?"

Aika smirked, scarred hand planted proudly on her hip. "As long as I can stay awake, Water Girl. A flame this small is easy to maintain."

Katara nodded slowly, glad to have Aika around- their group didn't carry anything like torches, so without her, they'd have been trapped in the dark.

Sokka letting out a huff, he pulled parchment from his pocket, quickly explaining, "I'm going to make a map to keep track of exactly where we've been. Then we should be able to solve it like a maze and get through."

And yet, it wasn't an hour of wandering with Aika at the front before they had found a problem with this method.

Katara looking at the stone wall in front of them, she turned back to her brother from where she walked beside Aika. "Sokka, this is the tenth dead end you've led us to."

Sokka beside Aang in the middle of the group, nose buried in the map he'd been attempting to construct. Smacking his hand against the paper, he let out a groan of frustration. "This doesn't make sense. We already came through this way."

Chong assured, "We don't need a map. We just need love. The little guy knows it." He pointed cheerfully at Aang.

Aang agreed, "Yeah, but I wouldn't mind a map also."

Aika shook her head as she stopped, rolling her shoulder- it was starting to get stiff from holding her arm at shoulder level for so long, even if the flame itself wasn't difficult to power. "We can't have come this way, I scorched the wall. There's no marks showing we've been here."

She was starting to get legitimately nervous- going into this tunnel system without an Earthbender was a horrible idea- they should've just run the blockade on the mountain. And not to mention the deep rumbling that echoed through the entire mountain, though she couldn't tell what caused it.

Sokka shook his head, stopping and looking around with a solemn look set on his face. "There's something strange here. There's only one explanation. The tunnels are changing."

Chong immediately began to panic, yelling, "The tunnels, they're a-changin'. It must be the curse! I knew we shouldn't have come down here!"

Sokka's voice could barely contain his sarcasm as he remarked, "Right, if only we listened to you."

Katara suddenly turned toward the tunnel behind them as she ordered calmly, "Everyone be quiet. Listen."

Aika raising her arm higher, flames growing, she peered into the dark suspiciously. A low snarl was echoing softly across the stone halls, Momo skittering nervously on Sokka's shoulder.

Aika catching a flash of movement, she snapped quickly, "Wolfbat, move!" Moving toward it, she was running head on toward the sleek, dark creature coming directly at them as well. Slamming her arm down, flames cascaded across the stone, the wolfbat skidding to turn quickly, running straight up the wall to avoid her flames.

The others had quickly withdrawn to circle Appa, the bison stomping angrily at the intruder.

Aika knew how to deal with wolfbats- when she'd run messages, they'd been a constant problem for anyone trying to cross dark sections of the mountains. Her years of practice with the animals had paid off, though.

The wolfbat racing at the group again, Aika jumped between them, creating more flames, a horrible screech tearing from her lips, like a howler kakapo owl's cry. The wolfbat veered away yet again, yipping softly, but the exit it was attempting to make involved leaping over Appa's head. The bison immediately let out an angry groan and slammed his head into the ceiling of the tunnel, tail slamming into the wall. The rock around them shook and rumbled, the wolfbat gone but a new danger starting to crash down.

Aang and Katara staying close to Appa as the monk tried to calm him, the nomads scattered in the opposite direction, Sokka caught in the middle of their frenzy to escape, Aika still between the groups, backing up to avoid Appa's flailing, back quickly pressed against the wall as boulders crashed down from the ceiling, suddenly leaving everyone in the dark. Aang, Katara, and Appa on one side, Sokka and the nomads on another, and Aika trapped alone.

Chest pounding, she immediately lit a flame in her hand again, illuminating the darkness.

They'd been moving away from the dead-end and made it to a division of the tunnel into three- however, she'd gotten trapped in the tunnel of the dead-end with nothing that could be called an exit in sight.

Running to the boulders, coughing slightly at the dust, she could only dig with one hand, the other holding her flame as it flickered, her voice growing slightly panicked and desperate. "No no no, oh damn it, no..." Could Aang quickly learn earthbending enough to free them? Maybe she'd get lucky and the rocks would shift enough to let her out. She already knew it was just wishful thinking, but locked in the darkness with only her own light was terrifying. This was supposedly the tomb of Oma and Shu- she didn't want to think this could be hers as well.

She scratched at the rocks until her fingers were cramped and scuffed with dirt, even leaving herself in the dark to use both hands, but it was no good. She'd barely managed to shift some of the smaller pieces, much less the bigger ones. Sprawling out on her back, panting in the dark, she tried to focus on calming down. While she didn't fear the dark, it was unnerving, especially when there was so little sound at all besides herself. Sitting up, she knew she had to do _something._

A small tongue of flame sparking in her hand, she walked the perimeter of the small length of tunnel she had, only about fifty feet. Hand running along the wall, testing for any weak spots, any cracks she might be able to slip into- but there truly was nothing. Sitting down by the collapsed exit, leaning against the rocks, her head fell back, staring at the barely-lit ceiling of the cavern.

What could she do, besides wait? Her flames couldn't melt the stone, not this much. It was hard enough melting rock at all, but this much would take days- she'd have to make it through the tunnels afterward, as well. Hopelessness was setting in, the girl running a hand through her horribly tangled hair, the stress of worry making her hands tremble. She'd always imagined she'd die in a firefight- in fact, most of her life, she thought she'd die fighting Zhao or killing him. The realization she'd never planned past that point in her life was jarring to think- it was as though her life were meant to end at that fight, but just didn't. Like the blank pages at the end of a book, there was nothing anymore- no plan, no future, no options. It was all up to chance now, and that was scarier than anything else she'd ever been through.

"Damn it, stop," she chided herself, letting out a harsh breath, trying to fight the harsh bite of grief in her throat. She wouldn't cry, wouldn't sob and fall apart like a child. She'd held out for over a week against the torrent of feelings, she couldn't let it break her now, just because it felt hopeless. Her strategy of avoiding the thoughts was working so far, she'd keep it up as long as she could.

She sat in silence for a long time, legs bent and elbows leaning on her knees, her little flame gently flickering in her palm, her other arm supporting her wrist. She couldn't allow herself to think, forcing her mind to go blank instead, as if meditating. After so long, the silence just began to tear into her though.

It was quiet, when she started to hum the song again- the one of dancing and drinking, praying and cheers, words that couldn't make it to her tongue because they'd been from so long ago. She may not have remembered the words, but it was still comforting to hear.

A rumbling suddenly made the ground shake, Aika's voice cutting off as she sat straight, looking around with alarm. She sat there in the flickering light of her own flame, yet despite waiting several minutes, nothing happened. What the hell? Was Appa slamming through the tunnels? How could he make that much sound- he was massive, but these tunnels were so thick and thin, he couldn't get a running start that would make it shake.

After overcoming her suspicion for the most part, she leaned against the rocks again, taking a few minutes before resuming her soft song, only for the rumbling to resume. Curiosity replaced her suspicion and she stood, letting out a single long note, the rumbling starting and stopping in unison.

"What the hell...?" No way. The other messengers had told her they liked music, but she'd assumed they'd been trying to play a prank.

Resuming her song, she projected as loud as she could, the shaking of her little cavern growing until a crashing of rock and dust suddenly making her flame sputter out, leaving her in the dark with a looming creature. Loud snuffing echoing, claws scraping on the stone, Aika was pressed against the collapsed wall, quiet and shaking slightly. It took a good while for her eyes to adjust, nervous to light her flame again.

The animal in front of her was massive, its fur seemingly tan, though it was difficult to tell in the dark. Its thick paws and long claws skimmed the ground, its starry nose twitching gently, its breathing loud and resounding.

They actually did love music- the other messengers hadn't been joking. Aika began to quietly resuming singing, softly letting her voice carry through the tunnel. _"Hey pretty badger-mole, you're really freaking big... Mind giving me a ride to the outside, pretty pretty badger-mole~"_

The pink nosed rubbed against her arm gently, surprisingly cold and wet. Almost choking on her breath, she continued to sing, _"I'm going to assume that's a yes, so thanks badger-mole~"_

The badger-mole gave a quick huff, and I took that as permission, fists closing over the clumps of fur, pulling myself onto its back, pressing my chest flat against its spine, the badger-mole starting to shuffle forward, the rocks parting around it rapidly, the top of the tunnel it made barely scrapping my back.

 _"I-_ uh, _I really should ask what your name is~ You,_ uh, I- oh shit- _You look like an Ekta to me~ Could ya grunt if you like that~"_

A soft grunt came in response, and Aika smiled, chuckling. It wasn't the greatest situation, but she strangely liked this giant, beautiful monstrosity.

She kept singing for hours, having a one-sided conversation with Ekta.

 _"I really think I look horrible in green, but it's Earth Kingdom colors, so I have to~ Red actually looks wonderful- I'd love to wear it more someday~"_

 _"Do you think koala-sheep count themselves to fall asleep~"  
_

 _"Thank you for listening, I mean I have a horrible voice, but you're such a good listener~ I don't really sing, but I really enjoy singing for you~"_

And when they broke through to the outdoors, the blinding light startled Aika so badly, she let out a sharp yelp, falling straight off and landing harshly on the ground. "Oh, motherfu... Ugh, _Ekta, I'm sorry, didn't mean to be loud, I know you like softer sounds~ I should've yelled in a major key- minor key makes you jumpy~"_

I still couldn't see a single thing in the sudden outdoors, but I could hear someone yell my name. Blinking drunkenly, rubbing my back where it ached from my landing. A face was looming over me, though I couldn't tell if it was Sokka or Katara- it was a darker skin tone, however, so it wasn't Aang.

"Are you okay? What... How did you ride that thing?!"

Katara, definitely. Sokka wouldn't be so worried. Sitting up slowly, I mumbled with a coarse voice, "Yeah, I'm all good. Don't worry, that's just Ekta- but could one of you guys sing? She gets nervous when its this loud and talk-y."

Suddenly, the happy strumming of a lute came- apparently, Chong was on the case, Lily singing a sweet song about- peaches?

Sight finally cleared, I looked around, seeing my group close, Ekta currently curiously facing the nomads as they danced and sang. "Hey guys, long time no see. Hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"You had us worried- we've been waiting for so long-" Sokka cut in with an annoyed edge, "It's been fifteen minutes," only for Katara to keep powering on. "- we were going to go in again after you soon."

Aika patted the other girl's shoulder, slowly standing. "Well, probably not a great idea. There's wolf-bats in there, don't you know?"

Katara had been trying very hard to be supportive and welcoming, but Aika being her usual, deflective self didn't make that easy.

Waving vaguely to Aang and Sokka, she walked over to her badger-mole companion, petting her shoulder gently. Despite her throat feeling similar to rocks grinding sand, she sang one last time: _"You were really great, Ekta~ Thanks for the help, have some music to keep with you~"_

Pulling a string of coins from her pocket, the Earth Kingdom metal jingling melodically as it hung on its thread, she weaved it into a braid on Ekta's neck, far enough from her ears not to be startling, but still be heard.

The badger-mole, now chiming softly with every move, gave Aika one last nudge and a soft huff before slowly waddling back to the tunnel she had made, the doorway immediately closing behind her.

Aika turning back to the others, she gave a dramatic sigh and plopped right back down on the ground, cross-legged and yawning. "Well, I could sleep the rest of the way to Omashu."

Aang asked curiously, "How did you know that badger-moles liked music?"

"Eh, a couple friends of mine from when I was a messenger. I'd always thought they'd been pulling my leg. It was rare enough to run into wolf-bats, but badger-moles really keep to themselves."

Sokka, arms crossed and playfully suspicious, interrogated, "Speaking of, how did you know how to fight that wolf-bat?"

"I used to run messages through mountains and caves- the wolf-bats are easy to find there, hunt down weaker messengers often. They're easy enough to deal with- they're sensitive to sound, and are pack animals that have a hierarchy. Just be loud, scary, and establish yourself as better than them, and you're fine. Now, goodnight." Flopping backwards without a hint of grace, eyes closed and an arm slung over her face, she waved at them. "Well? I know you guys wanna go talk with the weirdos. I'll be right here."

Aang and Sokka shrugged in unison and wandered off, but Katara wasn't satisfied. Sitting down beside Aika, she asked softly, "Hey... are you okay? You've been off since the North Pole. I know a lot happened, and I how how it must hurt, but I promise, we're here-"

"Okay, gonna stop you right there." Aika slowly opened her eyes, propping herself halfway up on her elbows, giving Katara a strangely mixed look: exhaustion, grief, anger, frustration. "Look Katara, I appreciate that you care, but right now, I'm just not up to it. I don't have the stomach to talk, and I'm not sure how long it'll be until I am. So for now, how about we go on, hunky-dory as always, huh?"

Katara didn't know exactly how to respond. Aika had only scratched the surface, but showing even this much emotion openly was awe-inspiring. As much as she wanted to protest, to keep going, she knew it would only make Aika shut down. "Alright, but I'm always here if you need to talk."

"... Thanks, Water Girl. I might take you up on that someday." She actually sounded genuine, making Katara smile brightly. Progress could be achieved, after all.

The boys returned, the nomads apparently wandering their own way out, leaving the Gaang to finish their trip to Omashu.

"It's a short walk, honestly," Aika quickly explained, standing with a groan. "Only a few minutes- probably don't even need to saddle up on Appa."

The group taking her word, they started walking toward the next peak to the West along a trodden path, Aika asking, "So, how'd you guys get out?"

Sokka grit his teeth, spitting, "Those freaking crazies nearly got me killed! Once we lit a torch they had, a bunch of wolf-bats showed up and chased us out, nearly tore off my face!"

Katara rolled her eyes, calmly explaining, "We were in the dark, and these amazing crystals that glow without light led us straight out."

Aika snorted. "Wow, I always get the rough gig."

Sokka smirked. "Well, now you get to see what it's all about- the destination!" They were coming up on the peak's ridge that overlooked Omashu, the walk short and sweet. "I present to you, the Earth Kingdom city of Oma-"

"Oh no."

All excitement and happiness drained in that moment, as they looked at a the walls of the pyramid-like city, only to be filled with dread at seeing the Earth Kingdom circle was hidden under a scarlet Fire Nation banner.

 **Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16: Return

**Okay: who's ready to get back on the plot-relevant-episodes train? I fuckin' am!**

 **This will be an interesting episode, as I've been building up to this sort of breaking point- a lot of questions you might have will be answered, and I'm making many more! Thank you again so much to those who reviewed! It is so ridiculously helpful, I cannot tell you know compelling and motivating it is to read those!**

 **Good news as well- I might just be able to turn this into a reliably scheduled update kind of story! YAYYY! If I can work with my classes a bit better, loosen up some time from my job, I can finally get back to writing this consistently and enjoying writing again. It's been just a bit stressful to write lately.**

 _ **IMPORTANT!**_

 **This is critical information, guys! The timeline is offset because of Iroh and Zuko being with the pirates, so that's why their interaction with Song is this chapter. This is a small change but massively important to the narrative.**

Chapter 16: Return

"Nope, no fucking way, not doing it."

"Aika, come on! We have to get into the city!"

"Uh, _you do!_ I have to do nothing!"

"Aika, please? We can't just leave you here!"

"Well, I can stay here with Appa! I won't go through that!"

The quartet was stalled at the doorway of a secret passage Aang had shown them- however, the others standing without much comfort in the entry, Aika still stood off to the side, arms crossed and chin raised high, adamant.

Sokka gave an annoyed groan, insisting, "Aika, we don't have time for this! It's gross but it's how we're getting in. Now _come on!"_

Aika snapped back, "I've broken into countless cities, delivered messages across this continent so many times I can't even count, and infiltrated armies- through all of that, I've never fallen to needing to go through a damn sewer line! I'm not about to do it now!"

Sokka sighed cockily, walking over to her. "I didn't want to do this..." He suddenly grabbed her arm, tugging forward- at which he let out a small yelp, the girl unmoving and Sokka's arm jolted by his own force. Continuing to pull, he was at a 45 degree angle with the ground and Aika still hadn't budged, only looking at him with a bored eyebrow quirked.

"You done?"

Sokka, still trying to pull her forward, growled through his teeth, "Nope, not yet."

"... How about now?"

Sokka shook his head, still trying exceedingly hard to pull her along, Aang unable to stop a small smile and Katara simply sighing, shaking her head at her brother's behavior.

Aika let out a sigh, taking a single step forward, Sokka suddenly flopping face-first into the dirt. "If that's it, have fun in Omashu."

Katara's voice was strangely snide as she asked, "Are you really that scared to go through a simple sewer line?"

Aika's exterior immediately changed gears, from stubborn to defendant. "Ohhh, good try, Water Girl, but you can't coerce me into this just by calling me out. Just go ahead- I promise I'll meet you inside, but I'll find my own way in."

Katara hadn't really expected her attempt to prod Aika's ego to work, but she didn't want to leave Aika alone. The hybird had always been a loner despite how she'd stayed around the group, and even though Katara knew that was how she worked best, it made her nervous to leave her alone. "Alright... We'll need to meet somewhere inside."

Aang suggested, "The west pyramid? It's close and easy to find."

Aika looked up, able to see the points of all four structures in the city- the four pyramids tall enough to see over the wall. It wouldn't be too hard- after all, they were on the west side of the city already. "Alright, I'll meet you at the base whenever you get through. I already know I'm getting there first." Without another word, she started running toward the main gate of the city.

* * *

Honestly, Fire Nation security was horrific. Tearing her sleeves from her shirt, she had just enough fabric to wrap her arms in the cloth, covering both to avoid suspicion. Luckily, she still wore the same bandages on her feet instead of legitimate footwear, so it would be easy to pass through the gate easily with one more item- one easily found item, with the flags everywhere.

Walking along the unlit path toward the gate, she quickly tore a strip off the flag, tying it around her waist, making her hair more ruffled even than before, rubbing a bit of dirt on her cheeks, pulling a rumpled roll of parchment from her pocket, carefully rolling it to look cleaner. With that, she ran forward at full speed, straight down the road, past the flickering torches straight to the gates, skidding to a stop.

A voice called down roughly, "Mutt, where do you deliver from?"

Aika slammed her heels together, arms behind her back and shoulders back in a formal position as she barked in response, "An urgent message from Admiral Chan's fleet in the Northwestern sea! His fleets are being reassigned to bolster Omashu!"

It was quiet for a moment, though Aika didn't seem nervous in the slightest, maintaining her militaristic form. The gates swung open, the voice returning, "Central pyramid, deliver to the soldiers positioned there and wait there for the response."

"Understood, sir!" Running through the opened gates, she heard them rumble and slam closed behind her as she ran ahead, through the darkened streets of hushed houses and shadowy alleys, past the elaborate mailing system that, without the earthbenders of the city, were only able to move downward. It was... eerie, almost painful to be there.

She'd been to Omashu before- many times. It was one of the few bigger cities that welcomed people... like her. It had always been a good feeling, being in a city so alive that felt like her own culture- she'd never gotten to know Fire Nation culture outside the military. This place wasn't like the little villages so strained for resources and survival they'd lost their culture. It was as close to her home as she'd seen any place be. Now... it was drained of any life, like every other village.

It wasn't difficult to find the others- the west pyramid was easy to find with how it towered above the houses- and yet, Aika was left flustered and nervous at finding no one else. She looped the base of the pyramid several times, and all she found was a purple pentapus crawling next to an open sewer grate.

"God, what the hell did you guys get into already...?"

It wasn't two seconds before she got her answer- up the main pyramid, a cascade of earth tumbled down the side, a massive crash sounding with a burst of air driving the dust away.

Aika had no hesitation in running toward the pyramid, muttering under her breath, "Oh shit, oh crap, oh fu-"

"Hey, girl!" She turned slightly, seeing a man poke his head out a door, glancing around nervously. "The guards are making their rounds, you'll be thrown in jail if they see you!"

Suddenly, she had ten more things to worry about. _I can't make it to the other pyramid, not faster than the guards- they're barely a block away, if I'm hearing right. The path toward the pyramid was too open, I'd be spotted easily. I'd never make it up there through the soldiers at the bottom, anyway. I can't keep pretending to be a messenger- they'd ask to see the message, and this is just some paper I'd scribbled on while making fun of Sokka. I really don't have many options._

Aika slipped in the door, the man quickly locking it behind them, letting out a sigh. "Thank goodness... Child, why were you outside so late? You shouldn't be wandering past curfew."

Aika lied flawlessly, "I was at a friend's, stayed a little too late. I wanted to get back home, though I guess that was stupid to think." Taking a longer look at him, she could see he was probably middle-aged, his dark hair peppered with gray, his hair tucked in a top knot and his clean green robes showing he probably used to be military.

The man shook his head, hand to his forehead. "Why would you not stay there? This city isn't safe anymore, no where is from the Fire Nation." Lifting his head, he began, "You're free to stay here for the night if you-" His words stopped as he looked at her arm, Aika immediately panicking and thinking it had come uncovered- but it was still tightly wrapped. Was she just more noticeable now? Had there been a new bounty on her head after attacking Zhao?

The man slowly said, "Young lady... would your name happen to Aika?" His eyes were still on her scarred arm, the girl starting to feel worry creep up in her throat.

"I'm not sure that matters."

"So, it is you, Aika. I was sure you'd died in the assault on the North, but it's good to see you well."

Aika was on high alert now, arms tense and ready to fight, eyes scanning for escape routes. "... How do you know about that? How the hell do you know me?"

The man shook his head, chuckling dryly. "Because I used to work for your mother."

Aika's chest suddenly wouldn't move, her heart pounding to escape the sudden confines of her own torso. "H-How the hell-"

"What, you think a woman like your mother would really be from a little nowhere town like Tetsu? You were always smart, but when it comes to her, you've always been blind."

Aika narrowed her eyes, asking quickly, "Who are you?"

"You really don't remember me? I suppose it's been a few years, but I'd think you should remember your caretaker."

Aika's hands suddenly fell to her side, eyes wide as her jaw trembled. Her voice barely a whisper, she asked hopefully, "Jing-sheng?"

The man smiled, spreading his muscled arms. "About time, you little brat."

Aika suddenly flung herself into his arms, face buried in the crook of his neck and shoulder, fingers digging into his shirt as tears bit at her eyes. "H-How did you know? You... You've never seen my scars."

"Not all of them," Jing-sheng replied, arms wrapped around the slightly shorter girl, smiling softly. "But the one on your thumb, across the joint- you tried to eat a possum-chicken when I was making tea one day and it bit you back."

Aika let out choked sob that was meant to be a laugh, tears sliding down her face. "I-I remember. Mom dove through the window to get to me- I was crying like a baby."

"You _were_ a baby, you dumb brat. Only a few months old."

"I always have been prone to getting into trouble."

He snorted, though it was more light-hearted than accusatory. "And that isn't obvious already?" Pulling apart, he held her at arms length, looking her up and down. "You're... taller than I was expecting."

Aika dried the tears on her cheeks, grinning. "And you're shorter than I remember."

Jing scoffed, raising his chin. "Huh, and just as sarcastic and quick-witted as your mother." At that Aika's face fell slightly, glancing to the side. Jing immediately regretted his words, quickly changing focus. "What the hell are you doing in Omashu, Aika? You should be home by now, with your family. I heard Zhao is dead- you can go back now."

Aika's smile was completely gone now, head bowed low to hide the shame in her eyes. "... I can't. I- I wasn't the one who killed him, Jing. It was some crazy ocean spirit."

Jing's eyes widened, surprise written on his face. "But... you were in the city."

"... Yes. I fought him, I-I _had_ him down... I could've done it. And I... I just couldn't kill him." Jing went silent, Aika maintaining the same silence. It took a long time for her to work up the courage to speak again.

"Please don't hate me. I know she will when she finds out."

Jing could feel his heart practically shatter. Looking at this girl, he wondered how the smiling toddler he'd last seen had turned into this girl who was so afraid despite how strong she tried to be. His hand gently pressing against her cheek, despite how she flinched away, he softly responded, "Hate you? I'm damn proud, you little brat."

Aika looked like she was going to cry again, teeth clenched as she fought the relief that threatened to sweep her away. "I-I failed to-"

"What, take someone's life? When I heard _Sylva_ had put you up to that, I wanted to deck her." He spat the name with such hatred, though she jolted in shock at his words. "She had no damn right- she's not your mother and she doesn't get to act like it."

Aika protested, "Jing, she's just-"

"No, like I said, you're blind when it comes to your mother and you are a sweet girl, but you're too damn gullible when it comes to her." Hands on her shoulders, he locked eyes on her and the two couldn't seem to break off their gaze." Now, here's what you're going to do. You're going back to that damn village and you're going to tell Sylva what happened."

Aika shook her head, voice cracking slightly. "I-I can't-"

"You _can._ You'll tell her, and you're going to be better off for it. She's not your god, she doesn't decide how you live or why. That's your choice. Now, I want you to repeat those words to me."

"J-Jing-"

"Now."

Aika stared at him, arms trembling at her sides, taking a deep breath to try and calm herself down, but this was all so much at once. "I-I'll go back. I... I can tell Sylva what happened."

Jing-sheng smiled, carefully leading her over to a small table. "That's right. Now, sit down. I've missed out on fourteen years of your life, though I've tried to keep up with the news of you. I want to hear everything I've missed."

Aika was still fairly numb, but she nodded slowly. "Well, I guess you'd better get ready for a wild ride."

Jing nodded. "And when that's done, I think it's time you understand what really happened in Tetsu when you were a child. Why the city ever fell to the Fire Nation, and why it burned."

* * *

"Has anyone seen Aika yet?"

Aang, Katara, and Sokka had been working with the resistance fighters of Omashu to get the citizens out, having collected entire buckets of pentapi to create a fake outbreak of "pentapox." Yet despite having distributed the small creatures throughout the entire city, no one had seen the hybrid anywhere. Katara had been growing worried for hours, quickly letting her worry stream forth in a plume of hurried words. "I should've known we never should've gone running off when we saw people being attacked- I mean, obviously we had to help them, but one of us should've stayed so she could find us! Do you think she even made it over the wall? I mean, she might've just stayed outside. She didn't want to come into the city, so maybe she just didn't come-"

"Jeez, Water Girl. Save your breath, I'm right here."

The group whirled, Aika pushing her way through the crowd, just having parted ways with a salt-and-pepper haired man. "You're getting _really_ worked up."

Aang immediately brightened, hugging her. "Aika! We thought you got lost or something!"

Aika smirked, patting his shoulder. "You're overactive imagination is cute, kid. Nah, when I didn't see you last night, I holed up so I wouldn't get in trouble. The city has a curfew going, and I couldn't get up the pyramid to you guys."

Katara quickly apologized, "And we're so sorry, we didn't think you'd show up just when we went up there."

"It's fine, Water Girl. Really, it is."

Katara looked Aika up and down, surprised. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, it was strange how relaxed, focused she was again. The apathetic, distracted girl from before was gone, and it was like having the Aika from before the North Pole back. Her cocky and competent nature hand returned to it's natural state, not as forced as it was the past week.

She slowly asked, "Are you, uh, really sure? You seem... uh, normal."

Aika arched an eyebrow as Aang released her from his hug, the girl confused. "Uh, you think I'm not okay because I'm normal? Wow, didn't think you thought so low of me." She quickly winked to reassure the girl of her joking nature. "But really Katty, I'm all good. Found an old friend and talked about a few things... I should've known about before."

Reaching into a bucket, pulling out a pentapus, she smirked as she set it on her elbow. "So, I heard we're all about to die of a rare, sewer-creature induced disease."

* * *

The exodus from the city was entirely successful, the gates opening immediately to let the "infected" citizens out of the city. Regrouping on the mountainside, Aika made special care to check Jing-sheng had made it out safely, though keeping out of sight of the others as she did. She didn't like hiding things from them, but she knew Jing was the sort to tell stories a bit too readily.

After seeing her old friend settling down in a campfire circle, she returned to the rest of the crew, almost tripping over a small child that was toddling around their own fire.

"Oh? Who are you?" Leaning down, she scooped up the child without hesitation, smiling as she propped the little boy on her hip, scrunching up her nose comically and grinning to the boy's squealing delight. "Who's missing a cute little kiddo?"

Katara, stunned at first with how naturally Aika interacted with the child in an instant, responded after a moment of surprise, "We think he's the governor's kid, though we have no idea how he got stuck in the invasion force."

Aika didn't seem fazed, carefully sitting down with crossed legs, setting the boy in her lap. "Huh, isn't that something. Well, we need something to call him. Do you want to be Lu Ten? You look like a Lu Ten." The boy gurgled softly, tugging on her braid, though beyond her cheek twitching slightly, she didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, you're a Lu Ten for now."

Yung, a rebellion leader who Aika had learned had once been a general of Omashu, warned in a low voice, "Sure, he's cute now, but when he's older, he'll join the Fire Nation army. You won't think he's so cute then. He'll be a killer."

The mutt didn't bother looking up from the young boy as he gnawed on the end of her braid, her voice a cool, hard edge. "Like every mutt becomes a messenger for some army?" Yung suddenly seemed abashed, Aika unashamed as she continued, "Besides, he won't have to. We'll end this war before he's old enough to say 'cutie.'" Turning him around to face her fully, she asked in a higher voice, "Can you say cutie? Can you, kiddo?"

"Lu Ten" burbled back in a rough imitation of her. "Bue-be!"

Aika turned to the others with a wide grin. "Well shit guys, we'd better hurry. He'll have this down in a week!" Chuckling, she blew a raspberry, causing the young boy to burst out laughing.

Aang smiled sincerely, noting, "I didn't know you were so good with kids, Aika."

"Eh, it's not that I'm good with them, they just like me. Isn't that right, Lu Ten? Isn't that right?" She tossed him up in the air a couple inches above her hands, catching him easily, repeating this until his giggles turned to an uproar of laughter. "Aw yeah, there's a badass baby!"

Katara quickly chided, "Aika, don't swear around Lu Ten!"

"What, it's not like he knows I'm swearing."

"No, but he literally just imitated you! He could start to pick stuff like that up!"

"Oh, you really think so?" Looking at him, she smirked. "Lu Ten, say badass. _Badass."_

The toddler waving his arms, he jabbered cheerfully, "Ba-ath! Bah-aths!"

Aika blinked at his in shocked silence for a moment, lips pursed. "Oh. Well, shit."

"Shi! Shi!"

Aika found herself under Katara's withering glare, relenting, "Alright, alright, no swearing around Lu Ten, I get it. I can manage that, I think. Isn't that right, Lu? Isn't that right?" Lu Ten smiled, yawning a little. "Aww, baby's sleepy. You need a nap, little Lu? Need a little nap?" Swinging him onto his back, cradled in her arm against her chest, she rocked slightly, humming softly, Lu Ten letting out another small yawn.

Aang smiled at the sight, Sokka watching thoughtfully- she looked strangely comfortable, relaxed the way she was. It was difficult to get any sort of read on her, yet every time he thought he had figured her out, she did something unexpected again. He didn't have much mistrust left for her, but things like this always made him wonder what was the real Aika and what was part of that mask she always wore, but his surprise only grew when her lips parted and a willowy, eerie voice began to weave through the air.

 _"Rest your head, little one,_

 _the night has set low._

 _Left has the bright sun,_

 _the moon has shone._

 _The only light left comes from the blaze of the flame._

 _Hush yourself, little one,_

 _The darkness has fled._

 _Your head low as you run,_

 _the sky painted red._

 _The only sound left comes from roar of the flame._

 _On silk, rest now my child,_

 _close to me in our home._

 _In your dreams, run wild,_

 _Feel not the ashes of bone._

 _The only thing left comes under settled embers of the flame._

 _Close your eyes quickly now,_

 _See not the fire that he made._

 _Keep shall he his solemn vow,_

 _we'll be spared the war that he bade._

 _The only sight left comes from behind banners of flame._

 _Rouse in morning with light,_

 _the city's screams will have died._

 _Cry not, seeing their plight,_

 _the flames their tears will have dried._

 _The only life left comes from the flame."_

Lu Ten had fallen asleep, drooling happily into her elbow as she gently hummed out a few more notes, eyes having closed and seemingly immersed into her song so much she didn't notice how the others stared at her, Yung's suspicious eyes looking her up and down.

Upon opening her eyes, she frowned slightly at seeing the confused, slightly disturbed looks in their eyes. "What?"

Sokka slowly asked, "Is that what Earth Kingdom lullabies sound like? That's so freaking creepy."

Aang nodded a bit. "The songs have changed a lot, they used to be really nice."

Aika pursed her lips, looking fairly annoyed. "Actually, it's not technically Earth Kingdom. I grew up in a colony, remember? Most of the songs are like they are because the people are still bitter about the Fire Nation taking over, especially in a town like Tetsu that was very recently taken over. Most of the people who had been there when it was destroyed were also there when it was taken over in the first place. You can probably guess we weren't all on board with that. Still, uh..." Her cheeks went slightly red, the others almost gasping in the shock of seeing her legitimately embarrassed. "That one was actually my mother's. She... well, you can probably guess by the fact that I'm alive that she was more open to the Fire Nation being there than others. We weren't exactly the most popular people in town, not just because my dad was a Fire Nation general. Her support of the Fire Nation was a bit... controversial with the rest of the village."

Sokka smirked, leaning back against the stone wall of the cliff they camped beneath. "Now I get why you ran off to join the army, if your mom supported it."

Aika's blush faded away to a slightly solemn face, glancing at the fire in a thoughtful, quiet moment. "Actually, she enrolled me. I never really planned to leave Tetsu, much less travel the continent."

Suddenly, it was a slightly darker mood. Katara asked quietly, "I thought you joined on your own- was that just part of the story you told us?"

"Uh, not exactly. I was just... not actively choosing to lunge into a war." Glancing up, she squinted at the sky.

Katara asked softly, "Aika?" When the hybrid didn't even blink, she asked again, "Aika, are you-"

"Is anyone expecting a messenger hawk?"

Turning to look up, they could see the swooping bird incoming, landing a few feet from the fire on a rock. Aang quickly took the lead, pulling a roll of parchment from its small canister strapped to its back, the bird taking off as he unwound it.

Aang's hands shook slightly as he read aloud, "It's from the Fire Nation governor. He thinks we kidnapped his son. So ... he wants to make a trade. His son-" he looked up, surprised and breathless, "-for King Bumi."

* * *

It wasn't difficult to decide what to do- even with Aika as attached to the toddler, she was happy to agree with the trade. The note had outlined the terms clearly: they would meet on the side of the central pyramid at sunrise, and bring no more than five people unarmed. They would exchange Bumi and Tom Tom (with no lack of grumbling from Aika of how Lu Ten was a better name) and they would be allowed to leave the city safely.

Standing on the cliffside in the morning, Tom Tom still slept peacefully in Aika's arms as they watched the sky turn orange, the sun still hidden below the horizon but starting to shine over the earth, bathing it in bright autumnal colors.

Aang stood close, looking at the city, anticipation in his eyes, though Sokka and Katara just beside him didn't seem as free of worry.

Sokka warned, "You realize we're probably walking right into a trap."

Aang turned to his friend, shaking his head. "I don't think so. I'm sure the governor wants his son back as much as we want Bumi." Glancing to the sleeping Tom Tom, he smiled brightly, hope shining in his eyes. "It's a new day. I have a good feeling about this."

Aika's eyes still on the line of gold along the sky, her voice was soft, gentle. "A new day, a new dawn."

Katara couldn't help the good-natured chuckle that escaped her throat. "What, you're an optimist now, Aika?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that," the hybrid mused, looking to Katara calmly. The gold-flecks of her eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight, her gaze more alive than Katara had ever seen her. "I just know things are looking up."

It wasn't a long flight to the pyramid, though they were careful to get there early to send Appa away again to hide. Having a giant flying bison soaring around was like waving a flag saying "I'm the Avatar, come kill me, please!," as Aika so eloquently pointed out. Standing on the wooden scaffolding of the pyramid, the four stood tall and alert, Aang having wrapped cloth around his head to hide his tattoos, Aika still holding tight to Tom Tom, though the child was awake now, tugging on her braid for entertainment.

They didn't wait long before three girls walked up the scaffolding from the other side- Aika had no trouble identifying two of them. The girl with amber eyes, blood red lips, a perfect top knot, pristine armor- this wasn't just a noblewoman, she was royalty. Considering the Fire Lord's wife was missing... that left only Princess Azula, the prodigy. That was already a bad sign. The second girl- dark hair tied up in double knots yet still hanging, elegant robes, porcelain skin, dark eyes... probably lower nobility, something like a general's daughter or something high level through relation. From the way she looked at Tom Tom though, it immediately made her correct her thoughts: sibling, meaning governor's daughter.

The groups glared one another down for a moment before the governor's daughter waved her arm, the sudden groaning over metal from overhead. A crane slowly lowering a metal cage, there was only a single hole, an elderly man's weathered face and wild white hair poking out. The box hanging in midair, the man yelled happily, "Hi, everybody!"

Aang smiled at seeing the king, but Aika's gaze was like stone, set on the two girls ahead of them, Azula's eyes slowly crawling across the four, ending on Aika.

Green met amber, the two quickly recognizing a similar glint in one another's eyes. Ingenuity against skill, wit against cleverness, fighter against tactician. They were the only ones who saw the raw intensity of their own gazes, the only ones who could understand the test of wills going on between them, neither daring to blink or waver. Those seconds might've been only seconds, but for the insults the two seemed to trade, quickly reading one another, tearing everything they could from one another.

 _A mutt, younger than me, childhood injury on the right arm that still effects fighting. Burn scars- she's a Firebender. Interesting. Earth-Kingdom clothing but uses cloth for footwear like a Fire Nation messenger._

Azula's gold eyes slid up and down Aika with cool, experienced measure, Aika's eyes more jolted, intense.

 _Firebender, professionally trained, well-groomed. Obviously smart, probably trained in battle strategy and how to lead armies. Her fingers... blackened tips of her nails, though she's tried to file them out. Lightning-bender. That's going to be a problem-_

The cage touched down on this ground, the loud sound making the hybrid's eyes flicker ever so slightly, Azula smirking as she claimed herself the winner, glancing to the others again, looking over Aika with little interest anymore, to the mutt's annoyance.

The other girl asked in a level voice, "You brought my brother?" She looked him over, as if worried he'd been replaced with a look-alike.

Aang gestured to Aika, assuring, "He's here. We're ready to trade."

Azula suddenly cut in, "I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?"

Aika's eyes narrowed, the princess' first words making her spike stiffen at the strangely charismatic and chilling tone of her voice. Everything about this girl made her gut _scream_ "danger," scream to get away immediately, and it wasn't just the prospect of lightning.

The girl turned to Azula, coolly replying, "Of course not, Princess Azula."

Azula's words were calm and thoughtful, yet Aika could hear the rehearsed tone of voice. "We're trading a two year old for a king. A powerful, earthbending king?"

King Bumi so helpfully agreed from his cage. "Mmm hmmm!"

Azula's rehearsed tone became gratingly condescending as she continued, "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it Mai?"

Mai's eyes trailed over to Aika and her brother again, Aika feeling a short pang of pity. The girl obviously wanted her little brother back, worried and scared for him as she saw the boy yawn, but there was some strange sense of fear and apprehension holding her back- and from her glance over to Azula, it wasn't hard to tell what. Yet her gaze hardened as she stepped forward, Azula smirking slyly behind her. "You're right. The deal's off."

Mai made a quick gesture upwards, the chains starting to reel the king upward again, pulling Bumi into the air, the king enjoying his ride. "Whhhoa! See you all later!"

Aang yelled his name as raised his glider, sprinting forward despite Aika's yell of warning, Azula's arm lashing out to stop him, a flurry of electric blue flames streaming from her palms. Aika couldn't help but stare in awe for a moment- she'd never seen flames like this before, not even from Iroh. Was this like whatever lightning she'd produced before?

She didn't have much time to consider this, as Aang leapt over the flames with airbending to the princess' shock, his glider opening and the wind ripping the covering off his head. Despite his best efforts to grab it, it was too late. Below, Azula let out a sharp breath of surprise. "The Avatar!" At seeing him circle toward Bumi's steel coffin, her smile return, more smug than ever. "My lucky day."

As Azula made for a pulley, Aika ran to cut her off while temporarily forgetting there was a toddler in one arm, only to skid to a stop at the sound of rushing air incoming, just in time to avoid her neck being skewered by a cluster of throwing knives now embedded in the wood. Scowling, the mutt glared Mai down, watching the girl draw out a new handful of the knives. Seeing Azula was already gone up the pyramid after Aang, she gave in, shifting to her own priorities. "Alright kiddo, gonna need you to hold tight." Switching her grip, she quickly swung him onto her back, the boy giggling as he wrapped his arms around her neck painfully tight, her right arm reached back and supporting him. Grimacing against it slightly, she at least knew he wouldn't fall too soon, yelling, "Sokka, Appa, _now!"_

"Way ahead of ya!" The boy already had the bison whistle out, it's airy chime echoing several times as he called for the beast.

Mai quickly charged at Aika, the firebender raising her left hand and sliced downward, flames snapping at the wood and tearing into it, creating a quick barrier between them, backing away carefully without daring to turn her back on the other girl, and for good reason. It didn't take a moment for Mai to jump the flames with little more than a few embers on her robes, hand devoid of knives raising only to suddenly shoot forward a cluster of stilettos from within her robes, Aika responding with a quick burst of flame than sent the burnt remains skittering. Glancing around, she saw she was coming to a thinner section of the platform, only a few feet between herself and the edge of the platform, she quickly ran through options, ways to slip out- how to nullify the fighting.

Mai was incoming, knives prepped again, ready to strike. This time, Aika took on a defensive stance, right hand tightening on Tom Tom's back, eyes hard as she stared down the incoming girl, flames itching to flare up between her fingers. Mai was suspicious of her inaction, but didn't waste her chance, drawing her arm back to slash-

Suddenly, Tom Tom was laughing as Aika tossed him up, just like she had the night before. Mai felt panic set in immediately, dropping the knives to catch her baby brother, Aika's foot hooking carefully around her ankle to send her falling backwards, the girl holding Tom Tom close as she fell on her back, making sure he wasn't crushed by the landing. Aika winked cheekily as she started backing away, smirking and quickly calling, "Stay out of trouble, Tom Tom! Change your name to Lu Ten when you're old enough!" With that, she was running back toward her friends in a moment, the two fighting a new girl all in pink who'd hidden beneath the scaffolding, though before she got there, she quickly set the platform aflame again at the thinnest point, cutting the platform in two, the center's supports crumbling into flame.

Appa was on the horizon, but they had other issues. Katara had one arm hanging limply at her side, the other trying to control her water, the single-handed bending unstable and difficult. The girl was currently jumping around like a hyper child, movements fluid and smooth, too quick for Katara to catch her, Sokka flinging his boomerang only for the girl to duck straight under easily.

Aika rushed in, the girl's back turned to her, yet just as Aika raised her left hand to give a burst of flames, the girl whirled quickly, twisting around Aika's attack and quickly striking her arm at the joints, Aika's flames suddenly dying as her muscles lost tension, arm falling useless at her side. For the first time, panic came into her mind, the gut feeling she'd had looking at Azula back: _danger._ _Get away._

The girl moved to strike again, Aika quickly taking a sharp breath and letting out a hissing breath of flame, the scarlet fire warding off the rosy girl who gave Aika a curious, almost amused look. She didn't feel as intimidating as Azula- she felt intense because she was so utterly relaxed with her movements and thoughts.

Aika's flames already fading as she ran out of breath, the girl started to move forward again, Aika struggling to draw in enough breath for another blast-

A sudden flash of metal and a yelp was all Aika saw before the girl in pink tumbled to the ground, arm already forming a bruise from the blunt edge of the boomerang that was now flying back to a grinning Sokka. Katara already on Appa, Sokka waved to Aika to get on as well, the hybrid running quickly to the platform's edge, leaping off and straight onto the bison's side, pulling herself into the saddle before the rosy girl even sat up. Appa quickly taking off for the last spot they'd seen Aang, Katara's eyes bulged in panic at seeing Aika's empty arms. "Where's Lu Ten?!"

"Relax, that girl back there was his sister, remember?" Aika gestured back to the platform where Mai stood looking half annoyed, half bored, the toddler happily gnawing on her sleeve. "If watching you two has taught me anything, siblings are kind of difficult to pull apart. Besides, we needed to give the kid back anyway."

Sokka had climbed onto Appa's head, fingers tight around the reins as he yelled back, "Yeah yeah, really important! But where's Aang?" They were flying among the mail chutes, swerving and dodging, trying to find whatever track Aang had slid down.

Aika leaning out the right, Katara the left, the waterbender suddenly pointed and shouted, "There's Aang!" Before Aika could even turn, Sokka had swerved, yelling in response that they could catch him. The hybrid clinging to the edge of the saddle, she could see Aang sliding down a chute on Bumi's coffin, Azula on a parallel chute, her sapphire flames lunging at him every few seconds, the boy trying to defend with spirals of air from his staff.

Azula seeing the bison pulling in closer, diving in time with Aang's chute, the princess began to fire off blasts aimed at them instead of the airbender, Aang still trying to deflect the flames elsewhere. Aika couldn't counter, even if feeling had returned to her arm fully- her flames would be too close to Aang. She could see Aang's lips move, yelling something, but she couldn't make out what it was before he hit the side of the chute, sending the coffin flying. Katara and a one-handed Aika lunged to grab it, but Aang's blast had been too strong. The coffin flying straight overhead, Aika felt a yell tear from her throat as Bumi's coffin crashed down into another chute.

Katara yelled over the wind, "We have go down!"

Sokka responded, "We can't, the chutes go through the city, it's too tight!"

Aika, eyes following Aang, saw his face turn toward them, shaking his head. "... Go. He'll catch up to us!"

Katara demanded, "Are you crazy? We can't leave him!"

"Aang can handle himself, and once he breaks Bumi out, those two could take this entire city back single-handed or Aang could fly him out! We'll meet him back with the others!"

Sokka and Katara shared worried looks for a moment, but they seemed to reach the same decision as Azula sent another blast of blue flames at them, Sokka pulling Appa sharply up to escape the fire, the bison quickly clearly the city completely. Aika rested her scarred hand on Katara's arm, the latter surprised at the strangely caring gesture. "Don't worry, Tara. He'll be fine, you know it."

With that, they landed not far from the city, waiting on the edge for Aang. It wasn't a few minutes before he came soaring over the walls, quickly spotting them and landing beside them- notably alone.

Aang didn't feel like talking much- he explained shortly how Bumi decided to stay, not taking more than a moment to take off and inform Yung, leaving the other three to glance between themselves with worry.

Aang returned within minutes, face just as strained with worry as before. This time, he couldn't just take off, Katara pressing, "Aang, what happened? Are you alright?"

His voice was quiet, withdrawn. "Yeah, fine. Bumi... he wanted to stay. I don't really get it, but I have to respect that he's doing what's best for his people. Still, now I have no one who can teach me earthbending. How am I going to find a teacher?"

Sokka patted his shoulder, assuring, "Hey, you've got a firebending teacher at least."

As apprehensive as Aang looked, nothing could've matched the look on Aika's face. She didn't dare look at any of them, biting her cheek and tapping her fingers on her hips. Katara looked at the hybrid suspiciously, recognizing the look on her face, looking at her friend cautiously. The others didn't pay much attention though, as Aang quickly diverted the subject. "Why, uh, don't we talk in the air?"

Sokka nodded in agreement, starting to pull himself into the saddle, Aang making an easy, air-aided jump straight to Appa's head- but Aika and Katara didn't move. They looked each other straight in the eye, Katara seeming to understand.

Sokka broke through their silent conversation: "Hey, pick it up guys, places to be, earthbending teachers to find!"

Katara closed her eyes, letting out a soft breath, her whisper barely audible. "... You're not coming, are you?"

The boys froze suddenly, Aika still barely looking at them, nodding slowly. "Yeah."

Aang suddenly jumped down again, protesting, "We just got you back! Why are you leaving again?"

Aika looked up to meet his eyes, Aang surprised to see so cold a flame in her eyes again- it was too much like how she acted around Zhao. "I have some family matters to work out back home."

Sokka demanded, _"Family?_ You said your mom-" He suddenly cut himself off, realizing how accusatory he sounded in that moment. Taking a breath, he resumed, "I thought you said she was gone. What, do you have an annoying sister or something? An uncle?"

Aika shook her head, rubbing her scarred arm, wincing at the ache. It usually only ached around thunder, but for some reason, her scars were burning harshly. "No, nothing like that. I just... I left a lot of things badly. I saw so much over the last day, it made me realize that I need to fix things. I can't put this off any longer. If I try, I'll make everything much worse for myself."

Katara was quiet as she climbed up into Appa's saddle, pulling out the leather pack she'd been toting around for weeks. Offering it with a small smile, she asked, "Where should we meet up with you?"

Aika smiled, reaching out and accepting the strap, though she didn't pull it toward herself, just as Katara didn't let go. "My trip won't take more than two weeks. That should give you plenty of time to scope out towns for more badass teachers and meet me at Full-Moon Bay. I'd suggest the eastern coast- there's a lot of cities with earthbending as professions. Make sure to check out Gaoling, the Earth Rumble rings are intense, but you'll never find more earthbenders in one spot that aren't in the army."

Katara nodded, pulling Aika into a hug, the hybrid melting into the comfort of the embrace, Katara about to see just how stressed she was, how scared she was about what she had to do. She whispered quietly, so only her friend could hear: "We'll be waiting for you."

Aika smiled, feeling Aang's arms wrap around her and Katara as he joined the embrace, though Sokka was a bit more hesitant before he threw an arm over her shoulder. "We're gonna miss you, Pyro."

Aika suddenly snorted, laughing lightly. "You finally came up with a better nickname."

"Hey, what can I say? Brilliance takes time."

The four separating, Aang asked, "Are you sure we can't drop you off closer? I mean, why can't we just take you? It can't be that far out of the way."

Aika shook her head. "New Tetsu's too far, you'll lose too much time. Don't worry, I won't get into trouble I can't handle. I'll be there soon, and I'll be very excited to meet your new earthbending master."

The boy couldn't help it- he wrapped the girl in a hug one more time, Momo landing on her shoulder and chattering in her ear. Patting Aang's back reassuringly, rubbing Momo's ear, she gave a small, sad smile. "Don't worry about me, kid. I've been through hell and back- I can make it a few miles on my own."

It was hard to watch her walk away again, yet none of them could deny know much better it felt when she looked back, knowing she wanted to be part of the group.

* * *

Zuko had enough on his plate: being chased by his sister, hiding from the Earth Kingdom, finding something to eat. He really didn't need to deal with his uncle getting poisoned from some stupid tea flower that wasn't a tea flower.

Despite how annoyed he was about his uncle, he had been panicked until they'd gotten lucky enough to meet Song. The girl had been kind enough to take them into town, even into her home, but he couldn't enjoy it. Sitting at her table, the young woman was almost too friendly, too kind.

Song's mother, Mian, she'd said, turned to him and asked curiously, "So Mushi, Junior, where are you two heading? Ba Sing Se, I assume?"

Zuko didn't look up from his roast duck, Iroh happily answering, "Yes, we were hoping to find a new life there for us."

Mian smiled kindly, advising, "Just be sure to follow the river north, dears. It's the safest route you can take to reach Full Moon Bay."

Zuko could barely force himself to stay focused on the conversation as Iroh asked, "Oh? I was under the impression the southern crossing was much safer for travelers. The northern mouth is patrolled by Fire Nation ships, is it not?"

Mian's smile faltered slightly, the woman suddenly struggling to keep her kindness to overcome her obvious nervousness. "Yes, that is true, however it is rare they notice the refugees so long as you're careful. The south, however... well, I suppose it doesn't matter. Neither of you are hybrids, but I still would avoid the Shāngǔ Mountains. There are people who live there that can be... less than hospitable."

Suddenly, Zuko had a bit more interest, looking up with a keen eye. "What kind of people?"

Mian and Song exchanged a short look, Mian's eyes suddenly shadowed in pain, her hand suddenly lowering her fork back to the plate, Song solemn and quiet. Iroh quickly realized their discomfort, excusing, "Please, forgive my nephew. We were not aware this was a difficult subject."

"No, it's fine," Song softly replied, resting a hand on her mother's arm, the woman's eyes closing as she fought tears. Looking to the two refugees, she explained soberly, "They used to live in a village called Tetsu, at the base of the mountains on the other side. I was only a child when my we lived there years ago."

Recognition flared in both Iroh and Zuko's minds, yet they dared not speak of it or show their awareness as the girl continued.

"The Fire Nation destroyed it one day, and the people who survived hid in the mountains, starting a new settlement there. It's said to be as safe as Ba Sing Se, and much better hidden, but the woman who leads them... she's ruthless to anyone who isn't one of her own. We- We used to live there, but at seeing how she treated a young child just for being a hybrid... we couldn't stay any longer. We've lived here ever since."

Iroh gently soothed, "I'm very sorry for all the pain you've felt. It seems as though you've had more than your share of hardships."

Mian nodded slowly, voice cracking and full of sorrow. "Yes, it- it was difficult. We lost Song's husband in the Fire Nation attack... we weren't ready to lose all the friends from Tetsu we'd had as well. No one escaped the conflict unscathed." She didn't seem to notice as she rubbed her neck, brushing her long hair aside unintentionally, the rough pink skin of her neck betraying what had once been horrific burns. Zuko felt a cold hand wrap around his heart, eyes creeping over to Song's hand running along her folded leg, the edge of a more red scar running down her ankle.

Song nodded slowly in agreement with her mother, Zuko felt so many different bells ringing in his mind, yet he couldn't think about them: not when it the center of his mind, was the horror of knowing what'd happened to Tetsu. It brought him back to the war room years ago, the brutality of the generals:

 _What better to use as bait than fresh meat?_

Zhao's screams as he tried to break Aang out of Pohuai Stronghold:

 _"This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!"_

He'd grown up being told what a wonderful country they were, how great they were and how they would share that greatest throughout the world. Yet what did that really mean if the rest of the world was burnt to the ground and the people all scarred?

 _Lightning streaked arm, a torn and broken form crying next to a canal._

He blinked rapidly, frowning at the table. Why was he suddenly thinking about Aika?

"It really is a shame- Sylva used to be such a kind woman before the attack. Yet when she took control of New Tetsu, suddenly she was so hurt... I never would've imagined she'd hurt her own daughter."

Zuko didn't care- he was still thinking about Tetsu. Did these people know Aika? Maybe he could ask without being too obvious-

"Aika was already hurt when she came back, she didn't deserve how Sylva treated her."

Suddenly, he was staring intently at Song, quickly repeating in demand, _"Aika?"_

The girl leaned back slightly in surprise, answering, "Y-Yes, she was a hybrid from our village who went missing when I was much younger. When she came back, Sylva sent her away on some crazy quest to kill a Fire Nation general. Do- Do you know her?" She seemed hopeful, worried.

Iroh seemed thoughtful, concerned, but Zuko quickly changed his demeanor, forcing himself to relax. "No. I don't think we're talking about the same people. Sorry."

Song and Mian quickly tried to change the subject to something lighter, yet Zuko's mind was entirely gone now, reeling and trying to keep up with the new information, swirling with everything she'd said, everything he'd heard.

 _"Soon, Zhao. You're going to answer for everything."_

 _"... Sent her on some crazy quest to kill a Fire Nation general."_

 _"I failed. I can't go home. I can't go home..."_

 _"Do you know why I really hate Zhao, Iroh? Before he ever burnt down my home?"_

He'd always been confused by the hybrid, but now it was just frustrating. She was everywhere, and every new piece of the puzzle seemed to reveal an entire new side of the puzzle he didn't even know existed. He'd tried not to think about it- she was just a mutt, just someone in passing, not someone to waste time thinking about. So why? Why did he want to know? Why did he need to understand this intense, roguish, drifting hybrid that didn't need to mean anything to him?

 _Maybe because she was scarred by her father, abandoned by her mother, banished from home and given an impossible task to make them drift across the world: maybe because it all felt too true, rang too loud and clear._

 _Maybe because he felt he owed something to the girl who'd saved him just because it was the right thing to do._

 **Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17: Sins of the Father

**So this chapter was a joy to write. Literally and sarcastically. I've been fighting some rough depression lately, but I managed to pull through and get this out with some decent timing, though I'll say I've been struggling with the freaking lack of modern ideas, words, and concepts. There aren't too many differences, just a few that are hard not to stand out.**

 **However, the best thing that got me through was reading your reviews. Going back and reading how you all enjoy my writing is the best feeling, even those with criticisms, as I've found that almost all of you noticed some stuff I forgot to fully explain or go in depth on and had some great insight! Thank you guys so much for your support, and I promise, chapters will be a bit more reliable now that I've gotten back into the emotional state for writing.**

 **I will warn however, that things are a bit darker in this and the next chapter. As Fencer22 mentioned, this isn't the original series, which was rendered for kids. This is allowed to go into darker storylines, which I get a bit more into this time.**

 **Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy this 14,000 word wreck!**

Chapter 17: Sins of the Father

Aika had forgotten how quiet walking alone was.

Her rough, wrapped feet scrapped over the rough trail, eyes darkened and narrowed against the blinding sun ahead of her. The long strap of her knapsack slung over one shoulder, bag swaying at her hip and her waterskin on a loop crossing her chest opposite and tapping the side of her chest as she walked, tired eyes surveyed the countryside.

The path she wandered was old and forgotten, the gravel starting to turn back to the grass of the plains, betraying its disuse. Mountains pierced the sky in the distance to her right, but their points were pinpricks in the distance, nothing but expansive plains in all directions. Tall grass waved in the strong wind, the hot air not helping the girl keep cool. She already had pulled out the rain cloak she'd tucked away long ago, the hood draped over her head to keep the sun's burning light to a minimum, sweat dripping down her face despite. She'd managed to catch a wild robin-duck that had filled her belly, but it was difficult to hunt bare-handed, especially when most of the plains animals had learned to stay near the mountains and avoided the barren center where the road cut its path.

Hand sliding down from where it was wrapped in her bag strap to rest against the still cool leather, feeling for the splashing of water inside. She'd been refilling it every chance she'd had, though from how it felt about half full, she needed to fill it again sometime soon. With the sweat dripping down her face how it was, she didn't have much faith in making it across the expanse of plain with what she had. It was only midday, and she had a lot farther to walk in this burning sunlight. She'd always wished there were a way to funnel heat away- like the reverse of the breath of fire technique. She might've given it a shot then and there, but it would just be a distraction. She couldn't bother wasting her energy on comfort. She still had a long way to reach the other side of this plain, where mountains even higher than the peak of Omashu sat, waiting.

Waiting for her since the day she left.

* * *

 _"M-Mom! Mom!"_

 _A curtain of perfect brown hair swayed like the dark branches of a willow, the simple village clothes like royal robes on the woman's elegant figure. Knees bending fluidly, green fabric pooling around her feet, Aika looked teary-eyed up at her mother's face._

 _Her voice melodic and soft, she put her curled hand to Aika's chin, tipping her gaze upward. "What is it, dear? What happened?"_

 _Aika's unscarred right hand rubbed at her tear-filled eyes, shoulders jolting with the effort of subduing her racking sobs. "J-J-Jet and the others, th-th-they said I couldn't play with them, and wh-wh-when I tried t-t-to play anyway, h-he hit me!" She pushed her hair away from her temple, showing the forming marks of a bruise._

 _"Oh, darling," she cooed, thin, sleek arms opening to pull her daughter in, the girl lunging into her grip for comfort. One hand on the nape of her neck, the other rubbing the girl's back, she let out a small shushing sounds, not seeming to care how Aika's fingers tangled in her hair trying to hold tight to her back. "Shh... it's alright, dear. They don't understand you, but they will someday. It's alright... Shh..."_

 _Allowing her several minutes of simply being together, it was a good while before she pulled apart from her again- Aika's face was mostly dried now, though her eyes were still puffy red. Her mother cupped her face gently, Aika leaning into the touch, her lips curling into a comforting smile for the child who didn't even reach her hip yet. "Aika, I need you to remember something. Can you do that?"_

 _Aika nodded slowly, wide eyes filled with curiosity._

 _"You're not like the rest of them, Aika. They see their worth in the eyes of others, but you: you have the ability to have worth because you believe it, not because they don't. You're beautiful in a way they can't understand, but someday, I know you'll show them the truth when you show them how brilliant your uniqueness is. But most importantly..." Leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Never forget who you are."_

* * *

Aika stopped suddenly, jolted from her memory by a sharp stone that pricked at her foot, scarlet dripping from one of her toes, though she didn't care much. Lifting her arm, her eyes followed the scarred paths of red along her fingers, the majority hidden by her glove: the tunnels of chi through her arm that were too fractured to control any energy anymore. She tried to remember the feeling of heat in her hand- yet despite how the sun blistered, how it would dance in her left for hours and days, it would never warm her again. She tried not to think about it, but her arm always felt so cold compared to the rest of her...

She let out a soft breath, resuming walking. Why did this always happen? Whenever she started moving forward, moving toward a goal, this always happened. She started to fall in the pitfalls of the past. She'd managed to avoid too much attention before, walking and letting herself stop thinking at all, yet the closer she got, the harder it was to push it all away.

It had always been so much easier before... she'd never really ignored her past, but she didn't think about it. Thinking hurt, and feeling it again was agony. She had no choice but to push it aside, like everything else she couldn't handle. If it wasn't possible to take on alone, it didn't need to be taken on. She couldn't keep going if she was so weighed down too walk, and she know her troubles were heavy enough to drag her straight through the ground. Yet for the first time, it didn't feel as daunting.

There was a future waiting for her this time, and she had reason to go on even if her goals fell out of reach. She'd face them this time, but for now, she couldn't just keep stopping, letting herself drown in that sea of thoughts and memories she'd repressed for years.

It took a total of five days to walk across, barely stopping to rest and always eating and drinking while she kept moving. Her heart rested easy though, as she climbed up a small hill, finding herself at the northern most point of the Jiāntǎ Mountains- one of the main points of battle between the two major forces of the war. The mountains were impressively tall, difficult even for the best of climbers- you needed to be an earthbender to get up its sheer sides. The entire south and east sides were so incredibly treacherous, even earthbenders had gone missing to the impossibly rugged terrain and weather.

The area to the west of the mountains were entirely taken over by the Fire Nation, the mountains all that stood in their way to diving to the country's heart. She was forced to go around, the north already crumbling to their grip while a general she wasn't fond of held a stronghold only a few days walk farther to the west- Fong, the one who'd tried to provoke Aang into the Avatar state.

The town below was very familiar- tucked away between the feet of the mountains, protecting it from view of the west. She'd visited often when she was younger, since Tetsu had been so close. She also seemed to recall not being popular with the locals, resolving to leave on her rain cloak. It's rain-repelling seal of scorpion beeswax was cracked and wouldn't keep her dry anymore, but it was still good for the heat and avoiding attention.

The path seemed to disappear as she grew nearer, the yellowed grass trampled instead, crunching under her nearly bare feet, the grayed cloth around her feet so frayed and cut that it was barely still clinging to her. The buildings she passed down the thin streets were torn and ragged, having stood for years. The few people she passed gave her strange looks, though for the most part, didn't give her a second glance. She had to imagine how many refugees must pass through, they didn't bother knowing faces. Relief was flowing through her chest, her calm starting to circulate through her veins again until she heard rough singing through the air:

"It's a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city, they look so pretty~" Aika suddenly whirling around to the familiar voice, she heard the slash of blades as the song resumed: "They kiss so sweet that you really aught to meet the girls from Ba Sing Se~"

Aika's eyes widened as they landed on three figures: one hidden under a straw hat leaning against a sleeping ostrich horse, one large and panting for breath, the last flaunting double broadswords and laughing nastily. No way. How the hell...

"Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner! Here ya go!" The man threw a single coin down at the elderly man's feet, walking away. Aika didn't realize her feet were moving until she was suddenly standing over the two, eyes wide with disbelief as they confirmed up close who was sitting before her.

Iroh quickly recognized the girl, immediately breaking into a grin, greeting, "Aika, it's wonderful fortune to see you again."

Zuko, scowling as angrily as ever, looked up at the girl's shadowed face, growling, "What do you want?"

Iroh chided cheerfully, "Nephew, you really shouldn't be so rude. We owe her our lives, after all." Turning back to Aika, he smiled kindly. "I don't believe I ever thanked you for your help, Aika. My greatest gratitude for the assistance."

Aika flipping back her hood as Zuko suddenly connected the words to her face, staring in surprise and almost incredulously at the duo, her voice was confused and numb. "Yeah... yeah, definitely. Quick question: what are you doing here?"

Zuko's scowl faded slowly, melting into a wary look of curiosity. Uncle had been right- she'd found them again. How did this happen? Did this mean the Avatar was nearby? Before he could ask, Iroh answered, "Your friend Gara was a wonderful help. He brought us to the colonies, though unfortunately, we've found ourselves ousted from the good graces of our _previous_ allegiance. We're on our way to Ba Sing Se now."

Aika's eyes fluttered quickly, looking them over with a worry that felt both undeserved and unwarranted to the prince. Kneeling down, her head tilted slightly, frayed braid swaying at her shoulder. The mutt's worried gaze didn't take long to absorb their tattered rags, lighter forms, weaker limbs, and travel weary faces. Her voice soft and concerned, Zuko felt like her words were seeping into his skin, trying to invade. "Are you two alright? You're looking a little worse for wear."

The prince recoiled, her openness and almost vulnerability while addressing their own too intrusive, too personal. "We're _fine,_ we don't need your help."

Iroh quickly cut in, "However, it would be greatly appreciated. You seem to know your way around this area much better than we do. Directions would be greatly appreciated."

Aika let out a soft sigh, standing with an annoyed glance at the ground- however, it wasn't aimed at them; more at something she couldn't glare at in the moment. "Come on already, then. The bar in town will have some food, maybe a map." Flicking her hood back over her head, she started slowly down the street as Iroh eagerly stood, Zuko more grudging in his movement, her mind elsewhere.

* * *

 _Aika sat quietly on the mat, eyes on the small candle between herself and the woman in front of her. Her young face twisted in worried thought and concentration, the flame completely still as her young eyes peered into its dancing heart. "D-Did I do something wrong? I don't understand why you want me to go away."_

 _Her mother's gentle hand reached out, brushing against Aika's chin gently like a breeze. "No, never think that, dear. I love you, but I think this is what's best for you. You've never met him, but he's a wonderful man. I can't go- they'll never understand me going to him with you, but if you were to go alone, they'll never question you." Her second hand reached forward, brushing Aika's hair away from her face, as messy and wild as ever. "You need to know where you come from,_ who _you come from. The only way you'll ever know is to go to him, learn about your father."_

 _Aika looked up, eyes watering, her lip trembling with the nerves. "But... I don't want to leave. I love home, I love Tetsu, I don't want go anywhere."_

 _"I know, I know, my baby girl," She pet her head gently, her long locks swinging toward the open flame. "But you need to know. Meet him now, see what the future looks like. Because someday..." She smiled brightly, her eyes distant in how far they suddenly were away, her dark eyes practically glowing as they imagined a beautiful world of lights. "We're going to be living the perfect life together, all three of us. Just meet him, talk to him, get to know him a bit. Then you can come home."_

 _Aika paused for a moment, staring at the small flame, blinking quickly and the flames suddenly winking out. Looking up in the dark, she didn't need to see her mother's face to know it. Every shadow, she knew what was underneath, knew those perfect cheekbones and tired but elegant eyes. Giving a nod, her tears were gone, her smile wide. "Okay, Mom. I'll go."_

 _"There's my girl." She wrapped her arms around Aika, pulling her in tight. The young girl wrapping her arms around her mother, she tried to memorize the things she didn't know already: her scent, the shade of white that scar on her shoulder was, the little freckle below her ear. This was goodbye, though she didn't have the heart to believe it was forever._

 _She'd been home again soon. She just needed to talk to her father._

* * *

Aika opened her eyes, weary from how exhausting her every memory was, the boys had quickly rolled up the straw mats they'd been using as beds, following quickly, tying their mount outside and following her into a dive bar.

The dingy interior a mishmash of several tables shoved around the room, the dirty bar holding the only occupants: a half dozen old, scruffy men, already daytime drinking before noon.

Aika strode past without hesitation, seating herself easily and waiting for a pleased Iroh and a grumpy Zuko. The bald man behind the bar yelling for what they wanted, Aika held up three fingers in response, voice cool as she projected, "Three rice bowls and roast, sir." She only got grumbling in response.

The mutt turning back to the pair, she still peered at them from under her hood, worry still staining her gaze. "So, while I know the story of how you're in this situation has to be interesting, I get the feeling that's not a story for here and now. Are you two alright, at least?"

Zuko snarled, "Why do you care? We're not allies or friends, you just helped us out once."

Aika's eyes fluttered in annoyance as she reeled back slightly, worry suddenly morphing into frustration. _"Once?_ Uh, I'd check the scoreboard again _Hothead,_ because I'm not sure you realize how often I've saved your ass."

Zuko growled, "Yeah, and always just for your crazy schemes! What, the Avatar right behind you again? Going to try and double-cross one of us?"

 _"Nephew-"_ Iroh attempted to cut in, though Zuko wasn't having it.

"She's just like Azula, all she ever does is make these crazy plans that only help herself!"

 _"Excuse me?_ I swear, I'm going to kill you one of these days, you're such an idiot." Rubbing the bridge of her nose in annoyance, she looked back to him a second later, already seeming tired of fighting. "Look, Aang and the others split off from me, that's the truth. And I care because while you might not think of me as a friend, ally, whatever; I could use all the friends I could get."

Zuko couldn't help but quell his fire slightly when he saw the tired, almost desperate look in her eyes. Zuko was suddenly hit with the realization: she was scared of something. In the face of a temple crumbling into a volcano, drowning, breaking into a Fire Nation stronghold, capture by her psychotic father, and fighting him to the death: he'd never seen her afraid.

It didn't really compute with the strong-willed, intense girl who only let him glimpse the tiniest moments of weakness. This girl was much more subdued and calm, and it was plainly apparent she didn't have any ulterior motive. Leaning her chin on her palm, arm supporting her head, she just looked tired. In that moment, Zuko acknowledged something obvious: she was simply human.

"Look, I get it, I didn't leave the best impression, Hothead. But I honestly just want to make things right. I... well, I have a lot to make up for in my life, and I'd like to start here." She reached an arm across the table, Zuko eyeing it for a moment.

The last time she'd offered her hand, she'd immediately used the moment to embarrass him, kissing his hand like some princess. This time though... there was a genuine look of humility in her eyes. The prince considered it, several seconds passing as he tried to think of a single reason why not to.

Uncle trusted her, she'd helped him track the Avatar, she had saved his life at the North Pole, had given him safe passage to escape the battle, and through all of it... she didn't really gain much, no matter how it had looked in the moment. The only time she'd really manipulated him was the pirates, and that had been so long ago...

Whatever goals she had now, he couldn't tell how he played into them. Yet he couldn't comprehend that this girl would care so much for someone who he had only ever looked down on.

Aika looked at him with nothing but honesty. She wanted nothing more than to help, and he could see that. It was terrifying, in a strange way. He didn't like things changing so much without warning, and the girl he'd seen as selfish suddenly being so kind was confusing. Yet he couldn't deny how _real_ those eyes were.

His hand crept across the table, hesitantly accepting her grip, her calloused fingers matching his as they shared a silent glance of agreement: in that moment, the two of them seemed to accept their strange friendship of trying to understand and trying to seek the future, both too engrossed to notice how Iroh sighed in relief at seeing their peace being made. They weren't on good terms by any means, yet there was something they could understand now.

Hands separating, she smoothed out her hair under her hood, cooled down again. "Okay, if that's out of the way... then I should get to showing you the best way out of here." Standing, she called to the bartender, "Hey, would you happen to have a map, sir?"

The man scowled sourly, grumbling, "You want a map, you gotta pay, stranger."

A flash of her hand and a circular chunk of silver clattering onto the counter. "I think that'll be more than enough to cover your costs, _sir."_

The bartender quickly scooped up the money, tossing over a rolled up parchment, torn at the edges and stained badly, Aika snatching it out of the air easily. Nodding her thanks, she sat back down, spreading it out over the table. The world map unmarked other than a few large cities, simple triangles representing the many mountains and swirling lines the ocean and lakes.

For a moment, she was struck with the pure frustration that she'd been forced to walk entirely around the mountains but she'd lived and ran through those mountains for all her early life. The only safe entry point at this time of year. The sleet and water was like trying to climb a mountain in a flood from all directions going anywhere but the north pass.

"Right- so we're right here," she pressed a finger to a point just to the north of the Jiāntǎ Mountains, a small stream of smoke rising for a moment. Pulling her finger away, the tiniest spot of paper burned away to mark where they were. "We're in Jìn, but there are only two routes to Full Moon Bay from here- that's the fastest and safest way to Ba Sing Se, and only one path safe for you to go down." She traced her finger slightly up, following a river and curling back to the right to a large lake, a thin trail of the sooty remains from the small burn she'd made. "You'll need to be on the lookout for any Fire Nation patrols along the water, but for the most part, there isn't much to worry about there. There's nothing they want on the shores, so just veer around the mountains' feet and cut back across to the bay. You'll be able to take a ferry from there to Ba Sing Se."

Iroh nodded, hand thoughtfully pressed to his chin. "Yes, that is what we were told before."

Aika blinked in surprise, lips pressed tight. "Wait, what? If you already knew, why do you need directions, then?"

Zuko glared in annoyance at the map, muttering, "Because we can't go that way. We're fugitives now, we can't risk it. Not with my sister on our tails."

Aika's eyes widened in shock for a moment before the pieces clicked, making more sense. "Shit, that's bad. Well, I wouldn't be too worried. She was in Omashu just a few days ago, gave me and the others a miserable time before we got out of town." Letting out a soft sigh, her eyes tore over the map, contemplative and worried. Shaking her head, she threw her hands up with frustration. "Well, you've really got no choice. You'll have to go to the southwest, find some way across the river and reach the Omashu area."

Iroh's brow knitted, asking, "Pardon my asking, but why do we not simply go around the east of the mountains?"

Aika's expression immediately darkened as she shook her head. "No. You follow the mountains, cut through, even pass the area between the mountains and the inlet- you'll get killed. There's a radical group, call themselves the 'Saviors of Freedom,' and _will kill you both._ No way are you going there."

Zuko rolled his eyes, grumbling, "I'm pretty sure we can handle a couple of thugs."

Aika's voice was suddenly insistent and protective, the girl leaning forward as she protested, "These aren't just the usual thugs or bandits, they're a band of ex-soldiers and angry earthbenders. You go through the pass and you'll get yourselves killed."

The prince shot back slyly, "So that's why you're going that way?"

Aika gave a huff, trying to rein in her annoyance. "Because I'm not like you two. One look at you Hothead, and they'll know you're not Earth Kingdom. You could pass for a mutt maybe, if you'd had a sweet little chip in your ear like this." She flicked at the darkness under her hood, referring to the notch out of her ear. "But unless you'd like to chop a chunk off yourself, I think your options are limited."

Iroh shrugged slightly, agreeable as he nodded. "Then I suppose we'll have to find our way across the inlet. I might have some friends willing to help us in the south..."

Aika started to calm again, returning to her relaxed state. "Good. I can send you with some coin- you'll need it to get across the inlet, unless you're going to stow away, and no offense Iroh, but..." she eyed him up and down apologetically, "I think you might be noticed."

Zuko was quiet for a moment as Iroh laughed good-naturedly, the prince's suspicious mind still looking for a solution. He didn't trust her fully. Even the times she'd helped didn't convince him. He needed some way in, some way to be able to know whether the terrific liar was lying or not, not to mention the curiosity that was hard to fight. The discussion in Song's village before stealing the ostrich horse...

 _This is my chance to find out..._

Zuko casually suggested, "I was under the impression that no one Fire Nation could pass through the mountains, especially not mutts. So, what's got your interest that way?"

Iroh gave him a warning look as Aika's eyes seemed to gleam under her hood, suddenly bristling again. "It'd be enough said that I have some personal things to deal with."

"Actually, I don't think that's enough. We could be easily boarded and caught going towards Omashu. Why is it so much safer for you?"

Iroh's voice was shockingly forceful as he ordered, _"Lee,_ that is enough."

"No, she can answer. Come on Aika, enough with the bullshit." He'd know if she tried to lie since he already knew her mother was one of them. This was more a test of how their "renewed" relationship was working, how much he could trust her. "What, are you going to beat them all single-handed?"

"No," Aika hissed, leaning forward for a moment, though there wasn't a threat in her words. Despite how everything about her said she was enraged- the smoke hissing at her lips, the rage in her eyes, the clenched white of her fists on the table- her voice was quiet, almost defeated. There was this sadness to the way her fists tightened, as if she was heartbroken by her own anger. Reaching down into her pack, she pulled out a red cloth of silk, wrapping up a small item. Carefully holding it as if it where a child and cupped out of sight besides theirs, she pulled at the fabric, revealing the molded, gold and scarlet metal that was all too familiar for the prince. That night... she'd kept this, of all things?

"This is why. I have the keys to the kingdom. Those ex-soldiers and angry earthbenders? Those thugs? That's home for me. And this thing is my ticket to get in." Quickly folding the hairpiece again, she tucked it back into her bag, hand pausing for a moment as if to confirm it rested on the bottom of the bag. "I'll be welcomed back a hero, but you two? Sorry, but no. I'm not sending you to your deaths."

Zuko wasn't satisfied, though. He'd been tricked one too many times- he was starting to get a scary feeling, this fear creeping in that felt intensely negative, like it would make him sick.

 _Azula always lies._

 _Aika can always lie._

Something in him wanted to trust her, and yet he was too scared to stop. He had to know for sure.

"Yeah, we knew that already. But why go back there?"

Aika's eyes were suddenly wide and almost hurt, the girl quickly realizing he'd been essentially quizzing her motives. "Wait, you're questioning-"

"Yeah, you. We already know you're one those Savior- whatevers-"

Iroh muttered cautiously, "Nephew, please-"

"We know that Sylva's your mother," Zuko kept going, rising in his seat as Aika seemed to shrink in hers, palms pressed against the table as he started leaning forward. "We know that you're going straight back to them, and we know-"

 _"Zuko,"_ Iroh hissed under his breath, a hand firmly on his shoulder and keeping him from rising higher from his seat, voice low as he murmured, "I believe we may have to skip our meal, nephew."

The men of the bar were all now standing and looking much more angry than drunken, glaring angrily at the trio, the bartender's hand having found a bottle to wrap around. Angry eyes glared at them, the atmosphere completely changed to intensity, the piercing glares of the angry men trained solely on the three. Aika was still shrunken down in her seat, now tense and still, like a coiled snake that would strike if its fear grew any stronger.

The bartender hissed, "A Savior would dare sit in my damn bar... and of all the Saviors, Sylva's kid is the one who would ask for my food and my hospitality?"

Iroh attempted a smile, his voice smooth and friendly as he negotiated, "Excuse me sir, but I'm sure we can find a solution-"

He slammed down the bottle, glass shattering and liquid flying, Aika winding even tighter as he raised the gleaming shard of glass threateningly, eyes focused solely on Aika. "Your damn mother... That monster Sylva... She killed every hybrid... Like hell do you make it out of here ali-"

A chair suddenly collided with his head, the bartender falling backwards and crashing into the small rack of drinks, the glasses falling loudly and collapsing to the ground. Aika's seat now missing, she grabbed the empty chair from their table and flung it at the two men closest to the door, one falling into the other as the mutt barked, _"Run!"_

The three wasted no time as the remaining four men drew various weapons- knives, broadswords, a spear, a whip- but it wasn't a few seconds before Iroh had swiftly snatched the whip from the man's hand as it bit toward him. Zuko kneeing a man in the stomach before stealing his swords, Aika having frisbeed the flimsy table into the remaining two quickly, lunging forward and pinning the table on top of them for a moment before stealing the fallen spear of one of them.

The first two starting to stand again, she stepped forward in an instant and gave a sharp swipe with the butt of the spear, knocking them off their feet again, racing for the door as she yelled, "Hurry, out of here!"

Stalling in the doorway, the two left their groaning victims behind, Aika flinging the spear carefully as they raced out the doorway when a man stood to throw his knife at them, knocking it from his hand. Whirling as the bartender rose, covered in glass shards, he flung the bottle at her receding form, Aika shoving Zuko out of its path, the barman screaming, _"Get back here, you Savior bitch! You'll pay for killing them! For all of them, you hear me?!"_

Aika made it out as the other two had already gotten on their mount, the ostrich horses already starting down the street, though Zuko clung the reins, holding the mount back before she could be left behind. The mutt racing along behind, they were aimed for the mountains when the bartender made his way out the door, voice tearing through the streets:

 _"SAVIOR ATTACK!"_

People were flooding into the streets and Aika knew they had a few seconds before they were screwed. Her mind was racing, possibilities flooding through her head, never giving herself a second to consider. Her action was in a split second that took no thought, hand flying out in an instant.

Flames immediately took the roof over a nearby house, Aika's feet pounding on the ground as she tried to keep up with the racing mount. The yelling of the villagers faded slightly as they were attracted to the flame, the firebenders still diving through the streets, trying to find the fastest way through the streets while dodging the surging waves of people.

The foothills grew larger as the buildings started to fade out behind them, the screaming and rage starting to fall to the background again as they tore up the first hill, the adrenaline sending them even deeper, straight through a thin pass as foothills turned into the feet of mountains. The village down below, it didn't seem they were following, the flames having started to be quelled behind them.

They were almost twice as the hills up the barren hillside by the time that they stumbled to a stop. Aika's face twisted as she heaved for breath, even Zuko and Iroh who hadn't run were panting at the intensity of wheat couldn't have been more than three minutes. Aika with a hand on her hip, creeping toward her back, she was still gasping for air a minute later as Zuko grumbled, "We should get going. Who knows if they'll follow once that fire's out." He nudged the ostrich horse's sides gently, the mount still regaining its own breath after such a dash.

Iroh turning after a few seconds, frowning at seeing Aika still hunched halfway over, breathing hard, the older man negotiating, "Zuko, we can wait a few more minutes, please."

Zuko wrinkled his nose slightly, annoyed at the delay, but obliged, halting as his uncle slid off, walking back toward Aika, raising his hands haltingly as she stepped forward. "Take your time, Aika. We have more than a few moments to rest." Yet after a moment, he saw: the blood dripping down her leg, slicking her fingers.

Looking up, her lips still parted as she fought for breath, Iroh's own face went pale at seeing how white she'd gone, the mutt trying to take another step to keep her failing balance, only to tumble downward, Iroh too slow to catch her before the girl crashed down to the rocky path. Zuko flung himself off the ostrich horse in an instant, arriving at the mutt's side at the same time as Iroh. The prince almost panicked for a moment- the glass shards in her lower back, the man throwing the bottle, _so much blood-_

"Zuko, there are bandages in the saddlebags, hurry!"

"I-It's fine..." The weak hiss of her voice was almost inaudible, words pressed into the gravel. "I-I'll be f-fine... The crossing... In the b-bar, they heard you... They'll cut y-you off... Go.." Her hands balled into fists, arms tensing as she tried to push herself up onto her forearms, only managing to rise on her right side before her muscles failed and she fell yet again, though only a few inches this time.

Zuko had the handful of white cloth held tight as he returned, Iroh having gently folded her shirt up slightly, just enough to see her lower back where the glass was embedded. Zuko could barely look, it made his stomach churn until it ached, just seeing it. He wasn't like Iroh or Aika, he'd never been on the front lines, never seen horrific injuries and needed to act. He'd always been at home or on a ship with soldiers who knew what they were doing, who knew how to react when they were hurt. Zuko... he didn't know what to think or how to react, panic creeping in.

This... What if it was deep, deep enough to kill her? What if there was more glass? There was so much blood, it already looked like she was bleeding out horribly. If there was more than one piece, could they get it all out? She'd shoved him out of the way, this could've been him, and she didn't even try to dodge, she just kept him from being hurt. Why did he have to lose his temper, if he hadn't yelled this wouldn't be happening, Aika wouldn't dying-

"Zuko, you need to focus," Iroh's gentle, cool voice washed away his fear, his steady hands having already left a small pile of glass on the ground, having torn off his sleeve and pressed it to the open wound. He shifted slightly, allowing room for Zuko to take his position. "You need to keep pressing on this- that's all, my nephew."

He nodded slowly, kneeling down and placing his hands on the already soaked fabric, his throat tightening at feeling the blood-slick his fingertips brushed. Bile tingled in the back of his mouth, having to fight down the reflex.

Iroh was winding bandages quickly with an expert hand, Zuko's entire body going numb as he kept pressing against the wound. Aika could barely tell, though. Laying there, all she could see was gravel, couldn't make out the words they spoke, the only sound the pulsing of her veins that only made the wound hurt even more. Everything around her was falling into chaos.

The pain was intense, but she got up. How, she didn't know, she just was standing again. There were trees, but they were all red, growing taller and shorter as flames built into the sky before tearing them down to the ground. The flames were even worse ahead, just a tower of flames she couldn't see the end of.

Forward. She had to go forward.

She was running again- why was she always running? Don't know, have to run. Have to run...

The wall of flames only seemed to grow taller and taller, the sounds starting to invade: the screaming, the crying, the hiss of even more flames starting, the rasp of orders.

She was terrified of the flames. She knew he was in there. Her arm ached. She had to keep going, though.

She dove into the flames.

The screaming got worse in the flames. She had to keep running, had to run. They were on the other side. All the flame needed to get away. She needed to get out, but not yet. Not yet.

The embers burned at her feet, through the bandages. It hurt, but she ran. Past husks of houses that were shadowy outlines surrounded by fire. Nothing but fire and those dark shadows, the shifting figures behind curtains of flame.

She stopped running. There were new figures, nothing but flame around them. He was standing there by what was left of a house, she was there too.

The flames were swirling, growing more and more fierce. She raised her hands to shield her face from the intensity of the fire. Her right arm was bandages tightly- maybe that's why it hurt so much. She could almost see the red lines like lightning outlined under the white cloth. And suddenly, her entire arm was the same, etched with the horrific burns that had never passed her elbow.

The pain of the lightning was back, scorching through her arm, she felt the flame under her skin- but she couldn't stop. She didn't know why, she just had to keep going forward. She was running forward again, trying so hard- the pain didn't matter, she had to get ahead-

The figures disappeared in flame as she felt agony in her back, reaching back to find blood flowing down the back of her hip. She had to go, though. They were there, on the other side of the flames, they had to be.

She dove into the fire, yellow and red and orange turning a thousand neon colors before turning blue and black, suddenly engulfed in water. Rapids swayed around her, tugging her every way at once, panic setting in as she looked for any sort of light. There was nothing, it was all darkness, just churning, angry water everywhere. She was swimming, upward, downward, something, anything to get back to air. Yet the blackness only grew thicker as she swam, sinking farther and farther into icy water.

A hand suddenly on hers, pulling her out in a single, fluid motion, suddenly standing on an empty plain of white, completely dry.

Her hand was still intertwined with the other, amber eyes swallowed by a red scar stared her down silently. There was no emotion to those eyes- only solid gold that refused to bend.

He let go and she was plunged into water again, the surface gone in an instant. The pain of her scar having redoubled, it was tearing through all of her. She could see the red lines racing across her left arm as well, entangling across her skin like a net dragging her down, filling her body with a fire she couldn't fight, the pain ripping through her as she stopped swimming, clawing at her own skin as she sank into the black.

When she finally opened her eyes, everything was blurred and dull, a messy kaleidoscope of dark shades. She could feel pressure on her back- she was lying on her back, most likely- but beyond that, she didn't have much awareness of her surroundings. It was all so dark above...

"Uncleshesawake!"

 _What? Too fast, too much... Where am I? What the hell? And why was I just stuck in that hell hole again? I don't want to think about that day right now... Can I really not tell reality from my stupid memories right now?_

She reached for the memory, tracing her steps: going to the village, Zuko and Iroh, running, sharp pain in her back when the bottle hit, running despite it to get to safety... It got hazy there, but she remembered the cliffs.

Everything was starting to come into focus now, at least: blinking over and over, she could make out the sky. It was late, as the sky was dark and speckled with stars and clouds. There was light coming from the side somewhere, though she couldn't tell where while on her back.

There was movement over her and she could feel her nerves buzzing as she woke up fully. Sitting up slowly, elbows propping her up, Iroh and Zuko suddenly were taking up her field of vision, their worried faces overwhelming her for a moment, though she could see they were still on the barren cliffside, a small fire off to their right.

Iroh quickly warned, "Careful, you would not want to reopen that wound. Luckily it seems little was damaged, though you must be cautious. You lost a dangerous amount of blood."

Zuko barely let Iroh finish before he suddenly was asking, "Why wouldn't you tell us you got hit with a damn bottle?! You could've bled out!"

Aika blinked for a moment, taking a moment to process. "Uh... yeah? That's kind of a regular thing for me." Zuko was paler than usual, she noticed. Was he squeamish about blood?

The prince shaking his head, he huffed, "You're an idiot. Every time you showed up at my ship, you were bleeding or worse."

"Yeah, and every time I pulled through, it's what I do. Still, thanks for the help," Aika admitted, reaching a hand to feel the bandages- Iroh still knew his way with the basics at the very least. She probably would still need to cauterize it soon just to keep out any infection, though that could wait until it was healed a bit more.

Fingers sliding across to feel how large the injury was, it couldn't have been more than the size of her palm where several small shards had dug in- though what was at the forefront of her mind was how the cloth gave way to skin, not her shirt. Her cheeks dusted the tiniest bit red as the realization set in: her shirt was blood-soaked and would've been in the way. All she had on her torso was a tight-woven cloth that she laced in the back to keep chest pulled tight and out of the way.

 _All I'm wearing is a freaking binder. In front of my general and a damn prince. A binder._

The rest of her thoughts delved into incoherent screeching for a moment, embarrassment and the stupid sense of indecency she associated only with a child tearing through her mind.

Dragging her own shame kicking and screaming out of her mind, letting out a soft breath before shooting Zuko a sly smirk, trying to recover from her embarrassment. "Well Princey, you seem pretty interested in my well-being now that my shirt's off. Care to share?"

Zuko suddenly was looking at everything that wasn't Aika, growling loudly, "You're completely out of your mind!" before quickly standing and stomping off. Aika smirking at his retreat, she curled her legs in to sit cross-legged, chuckling a bit.

Iroh watched her carefully, seeing how her eyes followed Zuko, arching an eyebrow playfully. "Either I'm getting old, or I'd say you enjoy embarrassing my nephew."

Aika shrugged slightly, trying to hide her smirk. "I'd say you're right either way, Iroh."

"Though I must say I don't understand why you always find yourself attempting to push others away like this," he sadly noted, Aika tensing slightly at the words. "Have you always pushed away feelings? It seems like a sad life to live."

Aika let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "Of course I couldn't get a day around you without your wisdom, huh Iroh?" Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips tight, seeming to be internally debating her answer. "... I, uh, learned that from my mother. If you don't like how you feel, that just give it away to someone else, make them feel it. They'll deal with it. I... never really learned how to kick that particular habit."

Iroh nodded slowly, not so subtle as he noted, "My nephew was rather upset at seeing you injured."

Aika opened her eyes, though she still wouldn't look away from the ground. "... I seriously doubt that. Your nephew kind of hates me."

"Well, I'm not sure about that. Why not ask him?"

"Aside from the fact that I probably won't make it to the end of the week, not much reason not to." She laughed cynically, though Iroh didn't share in the humor. Her weak laughter cut out, nodding slightly, trying to acknowledge the somber mood. "Sorry Iroh, but I haven't had a great relationship with my mother in years, and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to get killed for my effort. This-" she tapped with a wince at her injury, "-probably doesn't help my odds."

Iroh shook his head, assuring, "You're a determined young woman, Aika. One who has survived a war and years on her own. You should have more faith in yourself."

She nodded a bit, though it was obvious the words didn't have the intended effect. "Not all of us can be leaders though, General. Still, since I have you for the moment..." She glanced down at her scarred hand, her voice was quiet and in confused awe. "I need to ask you something. When I was fighting _him,_ at North Pole, I was down. I was going to get killed, and then... I made lightning."

Iroh nodded, surprised though not altogether shocked. "It is a fairly natural way to generate lightning for the first time. Pressure often makes one reassess their priorities, gives understanding to its process."

"No, I- I made _white lightning,_ Iroh," she pressed, raising her scarred arm with a sense of confusion and distress. "With my worthless damn arm."

Iroh now seemed much more awed this time, quickly taking in how disturbed this made her and choosing to put his own shock to rest for a moment first. Stroking his beard thoughtfully, he thought for a moment before answering. "I've never heard of such a phenomenon, though it is not impossible. My own niece is incredibly gifted in that she may produce a blue flame with a naturally higher heat than most. It is possible you have something similar."

Aika pressed her lips, seeming hesitant. "I'm not sure of that. When I was generating it, the lightning around me was still blue." Giving a slight groan, she let her head fall in her hand, sighing in frustration. "I don't know how I did it, Iroh. I don't _know_... _anything_ anymore, and that's the most terrifying thing I can think of."

Iroh rested a hand on her shoulder, assuring, "It takes a very long time for a person to know any number of things, my dear. You should not lose sleep over the things you do not know, or you will never rest again."

Aika nodded slowly, eyes trained on the ground, not failing to notice the blood on his sleeves. Eyes closing, her voice was gentle and thoughtful. "Thank you, by the way. I don't think I'll ever be done thanking you for everything."

Iroh gave a kind smile, prompting, "While I appreciate your words, my nephew put tremendous effort into assisting you. I was not exaggerating his worry. He was rather distressed by your state."

Aika frowned sharply, giving him a glare. "You're trying to guilt me."

"I would never."

Aika rolled her eyes, looking up at the stars for a moment before suddenly cursing. "Damn it, it's working."

Giving an exasperated sigh, she carefully pulled herself to her feet, taking her time so to not strain her injury. Sharp eyes tearing at the darkness, they tracked after where Zuko had disappeared, she muttered, "I'll be back in a moment," before carefully making her way down the slight incline.

Her back felt tight and stiff, a sharp dagger of pain stabbing into her back every time she twisted or strained her muscles at all, though she tried to ignore the feeling the best she could. The hillside wasn't too far down altogether, the vague form of Zuko visible at the bottom next to a small creek. She could vaguely hear the splash of water with his movements, washing off his face.

Reaching the bottom, she softly murmured, "Hey."

Zuko barely turned toward her, scowling as usual. "What do you want now?"

"... To say sorry. I said I was going to be better, but I'm acting how I always do. You deserve my respect, after everything we've been through."

Zuko was quiet for a moment, Aika taking the opportunity to sit down, though carefully a few feet away from the water. The two resting in the small ravine, they didn't break that silence for a long time, allowing Aika a moment to think about the convoluted events of her nightmarish experience while she'd injured.

 _Fire._

 _My scars, growing, overtaking me._

 _The figures in the fire._

 _Burning alive._

Why did all of that come crashing in on her in the moment? The fire, the water... Zuko, of all people. It had to be the North Pole, how he'd pulled her out when she'd been dragged in. It was all too much like the real world.

* * *

 _Lidded eyes and resting ears took in the tranquility of the river. Its gentle sway and the constant movement that gave a gentle reassurance to his restless spirit. He came here every day, trying to regain and maintain his center. He always wished he'd been born into water instead of flame. Flames were too greedy, too destructive and demanding. Water... water had the capacity for healing, for protection._

 _Yet there was something different. It wasn't as loud or powerful as usual. Something interrupted the flow of the water, prompting him to open his eyes, gaze scanning the water. Among the roots of a tree beside the river, the gnarled wood tangled in the water, having wrapped around something new. Black strands like dark seagrass floated above a mass of red fabric, patches of pale skin visible.  
_

 _Immediately, the soldier mentality returned, diving into the water, wading through the neck-deep river to the figure wrapped in the roots. He immediately lifted their head, face hidden by the hair draped over their head, though he noticed it was a girl. Hand pressing against her neck, he felt a weak pulse, quickly untangling her icy body, hefting the girl onto the shore, pulling himself up a moment after._

 _It was instinct, quickly producing as much heat as he could without making flames. He didn't want to burn her in his efforts. Lifting his hands, he pressed his hands to her chest, quickly applying pressure, making multiple compressions before her entire body hitched suddenly, choked coughing proceeding a spurt of water from her lips. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, struggling to breathe, shallow and staggered._

 _Letting out a breath, he finally felt himself lowering from distress mode, finally taking a moment to observe. Her black hair was long and drenched, draped partially over her pale, grey tinted skin. Her clothes were obviously Fire Nation, though from seeing the notch in her ear, it was obvious she was no soldier in training or even a citizen. Just a mutt messenger, most likely a deserter left for dead. Her hands... a silken sash was wrapped and knotted in excess, digging into the skin despite its soft composition. Her right arm... from the elbow down, it was nothing but a spiderweb of red lines under the skin._

 _Through years of war and suffering, he'd never seen such horrific treatment of a child._

 _Gasping for breath, hysteric green eyes flickered half open, wild and panicked. Through what little air she had, she gasped, "F-Fath...F...er..."_

 _"Rest now, little one," he murmured, resting a hand on her collarbone, trying to project warmth into her shivering form. "You're safe here."_

 _Her eyes slid closed quickly, from his words or exhaustion. He carefully hefted the girl, her head slumped against his shoulder, starting to walk along the shore to find the best way to get her across and to camp._

 _As one deserter to another, Jeong Jeong felt this girl was just as lost as the others who wandered with him._

* * *

"You shouldn't be sorry."

Aika glanced his way, tired eyes curiously looking at his hunched form. Head hung low, shoulders curved high, he kept his face turned away from the moon. "What?"

A soft sound of frustration came from him, followed by the stilted words, tainted with hesitance. "You... don't have a reason to be sorry. I wasn't treating you like an equal."

Aika assured with an unintentional bitter edge, "Don't worry, I'm pretty used to that."

"Well, you shouldn't be. No one should be treated as less than they are."

Aika's furrowed brow loosened, eyes trained on Zuko with intrigue. "... You keep surprising me. I s'pose I shouldn't be shocked. You're a prince cheated out of birthright, just like Iroh. All of us... we were meant for more than we got in the end. A leader, a prince..."

She trailed off, remembering her mother's words.

 _"You're meant for greatness."_

Staring at the ground, she forgot she had even been speaking before, unaware of Zuko's gaze on her contemplative face. He looked carefully at her, eyes repeatedly catching on her bandaged torso, the red stains in white fabric.

"Are you alright?"

Aika blinked rapidly, his voice waking her from her thoughts, turning her eyes back to Zuko, several seconds spent processing the words. "Wait, did you..." She stared at him for a moment, a smile twitching at the words, yet she didn't bring more attention to it. She usually would, yet... it felt like a true moment. He was actually worried about her.

"Yeah, it'll heal quick." Looking back to the sky, she felt the smile break through, managing to overcome her self control. "Thanks, by the way. Iroh said you helped keep my dumb ass alive."

Zuko roughly responded, "Yeah, you were bleeding all over the mountainside."

Aika arched an eyebrow, biting back a comment about him being squeamish. "It's just blood."

"Yeah, and it's supposed to be in your body."

"Not all the time."

"Of course all the time!"

Aika's shoulders rattled with the effort of holding back her laughter from her own joke. "Oh my f... you really have been sheltered. We're in the middle of a war and you're afraid of blood."

Zuko shot back, "I'm not afraid!"

"Whether you're afraid or not, you don't like it," Aika mused, Zuko starting to fume again before she continued, "I wish I was still afraid of blood."

Zuko's rage suddenly stilled, staring at her in stunned confusion.

Aika raised her hand, looking at the scars that wrapped her skin. "That would mean I hadn't become what I am. People like me... we're not good for the world. I hurt and I get hurt over and over again, it's just what I do. If I was the person I'd been before I didn't care about blood staining every damn river red, I think you might actually like that Aika. Maybe we could have been friends."

Zuko's disoriented eyes followed her ever move, brow furrowed. She was being so brutally honest all of a sudden, talking like she was dead... He couldn't understand it. He'd just gotten her stabbed with a glass because he couldn't reign in his temper, and now, she was treating him like a friend. And those word.

 _Maybe we could have been friends._

He'd taken so many hits for her. She could've bled out, and she'd taken the bottle for him in the first place. He felt like a cheat. He'd been grilling her, trying to figure out how he could trust her when she already was ready trusting him. He didn't understand, but he wanted to.

"Why do you trust me?"

Aika glanced over, her emerald eyes less like hardened mineral and more the depths of a forest. A small smile played on her lips, gentle and melancholy. "Because you're a good person, Zukko. Despite your scars, despite everyone telling you you were a failure, despite being thrown out: you became a better person. You're what I wish I could've become."

Zuko felt the silence settle in again. He didn't like what she'd said.

 _A good person._

How could he be a good person? He wasn't a good son, a good prince, a good nephew. He wasn't better for his scars and his suffering. It was a punishment, and until he came out of it, he refused to look at it as anything else.

"Well, I'm going back to my coma. I s'pose I'll need some rest if I'm going to be leading you two idiots through the mountains." Standing slowly, she flashed one last wistful smile his way before she was slowly making her way back up the hillside, Zuko watching carefully.

He'd never understood Aika. She was an enigma that never gave a straight answer that didn't feel like a riddle. She was layer upon layer of hidden words and thoughts he could never imagine. Yet he felt as though he understood something about her now. She was an outcast like him- sent away with an impossible mission and a shame she couldn't escape. He still didn't believe what she said about being a good person- but maybe he could see himself being friends with the one who's parallel path weaved across his impossibly.

Maybe he could think of her as something new.

* * *

The trio rose in unison at dawn, the sun's rays hissing over the peaks early in the morning. They rose quickly together, Aika having her mat rolled and strapped to her pack again within a few seconds, moving slow and stiff, though trying to hide how she winced at the pain. Having cleaned her blood-stained shirt in the stream, its dusty green color was still a muddy brown where the blood didn't come out.

The attempts of Iroh to convince her to ride the ostrich horse were completely ineffectual.

"Iroh, you're not in great shape and I doubt Princey has the endurance I do," she shot back upon his insistence. "I walked from Ba Sing Se to Uragiru with broken ribs and several broken fingers when I was a kid, I can handle this. Besides, someone needs to know where they're going."

With that, she took the lead going through the thin ravines, up the sides of thin cliffs, up and over peaks. Through it all, they had to get off constantly, leading their mount through the thin passages, up incredibly steep slopes- yet Aika climbed it as if she were in a race. The cloth wrapped around her feet was worn and torn, hanging off her ankles, yet she didn't slow down, jumping stone to stone, climbing on all fours to the top of a smaller hillside coated with snow. Heat flickered around her body, her every breath seeming to warm the entire mountainside, only resting when waiting for the two of them to catch up.

Zuko caught himself watching her in awe every few hours. She was more like an animal hunting- she maneuvered so naturally through the rough terrain with the dexterity of an eel hound. When the path collapsed, she leapt aside and kept walking. When a spooked group of fox antelope raced up a rocky cliffside and knocked a rain of rubble and boulders down the hill, she didn't hesitate a second to slap their ostrich horse into a panicked run and leap up into the nearest tree. She was taking care to keep from aggravating her wound, though it didn't seem to slow her down much. Seeing her free-hand climb twenty feet of sheer rock took away from the remaining guilt the prince felt about the injury.

Zhēn Peak was where it suddenly changed.

It was dusk when they were approaching the edge of the tallest peak in the entire mountain range. On a tall hill in its shadow, the three of them were slowly making their way through the darkening alleys between mountains. Aika was ahead as usual, pouncing up the rocky hillside easily, standing at the top and staring ahead, not bothering to look back.

The ostrich horse slowly climbing up the hillside, Iroh called, "Aika, perhaps it is time to make camp and rest. We must recognize when it is time to pause."

There was no response, her hands clenching into fists. Zuko opened his mouth to ask what she saw as they reached the top, and suddenly, no words were needed.

Zhēn Peak towered above, its dark shadow over them, though just ahead, a section of the valley was darker than shade of the mountain. Wooden poles reached up from the ground, ashen and burnt, piles of blackened rubble scattered around them. The flatter section of the valley was scorched and obliterated.

Zuko didn't understand for a moment. He knew Tetsu was in the mountains along the west, theoretically where they were now, only a few peaks over from Fire Nation occupied plains, but this... it felt too real, too surreal.

Iroh's soft voice began, "Aika, I am- Aika!"

Before he could finish, she'd dove straight down the sheer hillside, its rocky side unable to slow her down. She was sprinting full-speed downhill, eyes wide and trapped entirely on the ruins, droplets of water flying out behind her, not even noticing her tears.

* * *

 _Her heart was pounding, smoke was thick in the air, screaming in the background._

 _The ashes of her house were starting to settle, but the rest of Tetsu was still in flames. Everything was a blur- people running, soldiers giving chase, more flames overtaking the remaining sections of the valley. People were running, trying to escape, but several of them were on the backs of komodo rhinos, too quick and able to see over the flames. Hiding in the burnt remains, her eyes were watering from smoke and the crushing emotion, fingers tightening on burned skin._

 _Inge was unconscious beside her, badly burned, part of her hair and scalp burned where she'd been burned, gold and green robes burnt where the fire had already bit into her._

 _There wasn't any direction to go. Running for the mountains, and she'd be killed by the soldiers who were patrolling the edges, and she'd never get her mother out. She couldn't fight them, not with how broken she was, she couldn't compete with the soldiers._

 _The tears redoubled as she ducked behind the burnt beams that had collapsed, knees pressed to her chest. Looking up the mountainside, it was just more fire- except for one._

 _Eyes connecting, she could see the tears in his eyes, the fear, the grief._

 _Aika screamed, "Jet, Jet please! Please, I'm sorry, I didn't want... I didn't mean for this!"  
_

 _He was shaking. He was crying, shaking, his clothes were speckled with burns, ash-dusted shoes backing away slowly, up the mountainside, through strings of fire along the hillside._

 _Aika scrambled forward, protesting, "Jet, please! Please, she needs help! Please, Jet, don't do this!"_

 _But he'd disappeared into the flames and smoke._

* * *

Halfway down the mountainside, she found herself tumbling, tripped by a crag of rock, Aika's distressed yell ringing against the mountains as she tumbled painfully down him for several yards before she managed to turn on her side, arms tight to her chest as she jutted out a bleeding knee and was flying through the air for several seconds, touching down in a sprint right away, resuming her race downhill without a moment to lose. There was no hesitation in her stride, just tears in her eyes.

* * *

 _Aika was fast and strong, but she was still a child. She tried her hardest, but in over a minute, she'd barely managed to drag her mother out of the wreckage of their home, trying her hardest to tug her up the hillside._

 _Tears clouding her vision, sobs racking her body as she pleaded, "M-Mum, please... I-I can't do th-this alone... P-Please, w-we need to get o-out of here..."_

 _Yet her mother was quiet and still, Aika a shaking mess beside her._

 _"Please... Please, wake up..."_

 _Looking around, her eyes tracked after the bulky figures of soldiers, the hulking masses of komodo rhinos, the thin, panicked forms of fleeing villagers. All of them were rushing too fast, none of them pausing to see her suffering._

 _"M-Mom, I need you... Please, th-there's no one... I-I can't do it a-alone..."_

 _Tears fell in ashes, her small body rattling, white bandages falling loose from her arm and dusty gray from the soot and smoke._

 _Someone was walking toward them, Aika barely able to get her feet under her body, and lift her fists. "S-Stay a-away..."  
_

 _"Aika, it's not the time," a voice hissed, the figure forming into a familiar face: Jìng-sheng. A relieved gasp escaped her lips as she quickly wrapped her arms around his middle, her caretaker carefully prying her off immediately. "We need to run, now. Go, now, I'll get Inge-"  
_

 _"Jìng, no-"_

 _"Don't argue right now, just go!" His rough voice was overshadowed by an angry shout from behind, a soldier looming close. Aika's instincts took over, shoving past Jìng to throw a punch, fire from her fist countering the torrent of flames from his own, quickly following with a thrust from her right- only to be disappointed when no flames emerged. She had yet to adjust to her sudden disability, trying to recover by quickly crouching, grabbing a still flaming piece of beam, and brutally swinging the wood into the soldier's jaw. Stumbling back, Aika followed, swinging once more and quickly shattering the wood on his temple, the soldier falling completely._

 _Dropping the splintered pieces, she whirled back toward Jìng and her mother, ignoring the soot and slivers of wood in her bandages. Her fear had evaporated upon falling into attack mode, her adrenaline kickstarted again, having shocked her out of panic. She quickly insisted, "Jìng, we need to get up the mountain. Can you carry her?"_

 _Jìng, while surprised, shortly nodded, immediately kneeling and wrapping his arms around her shoulders and knees, arms curled on her chest, head lolled back. "Go, I will protect her."  
_

 _"No," Aika insisted, quickly tugging on her bandages, tightening hand knotting the dirty fabric on her wrist. "I'm not leaving. I've got your back, just go!"_

 _Jìng looking as though he wanted to argue but starting jogging up the hill, hugging Inge close to his chest, Aika close behind._

* * *

Aika kept running straight down the hill, reaching the bottom within half a minute, bruised and cut. She didn't care. She just kept running, running, running. Leaving a trail of blood droplets, the cliff left behind, she was streaking across the blackened valley below, muttering unintelligibly to herself.

She never planned on coming home. And she never wanted to think about what she had caused ever again.

* * *

 _Aika did her best as they moved up the hill, fending off soldiers, helping him up the terrain. They managed to make it to the thin pass between Zhēn Peak and its adjacent summit, the simple two hundred foot distance taking a seeming eternity. Jìng panting as he slipped through the narrow passage of rocks, Aika spared a last glance at their burning home._

 _Sharp eyes cut through the burning remains of her home that she'd loved, through the shifting forms of soldiers, through the burnt remains of people she'd known the names of._

 _Her eyes fell on a glinting golden hairpiece and graying hair, armor gleaming bright through the murky smoke, amber eyes hard and unforgiving._

 _In that moment, she understood the words her mother had told her once as a child._

 _"No blood that leaves your skin, no bruise that leaves you black and blue, no scar they can leave can hurt you as much as losing yourself to their words."_

 _Every piece of herself tumbled down the hill, shattered and fractured. Her identity in her home and family, her confidence, her talent, her bravery, her kindness and love._

 _Her admiration for the person who'd been her role model for three years._

 _In a day, everything she'd known was obliterated, including herself. She didn't know how to put herself or her image back together again._

* * *

Zuko watched for a moment in awe and an empathetic despair, he didn't spare a glance to Iroh as he jumped off of the mount, quickly spurring himself after Aika, though differently. Having a few feet of running start, he was running, running, _running-_

Jumping off at the cliff's edge, he was falling slowly as he quickly used his flames to propel him farther forward. It wasn't the controlled, precision flight of his sister, just a speedy glide over the rough terrain, stumbling rapidly to a jog at the bottom, taking the quickest breath he could as he tried to track where she'd gone. It was as if she'd disappeared in the few seconds his flight had taken.

Off in the distance, on the flat of the valley, he could see her- green the only trace of life in the dark gorge. He was quickly running across the field, skidding to a stop just behind her, huffing lightly for breath, reaching her side.

He didn't speak. She didn't let out a word. She was simply staring ahead at the empty field, the prince taking a second look at what seemed to be burned farm land.

Despite the snow that had sprinkled higher peaks, the thin pines and tough shrubs were growing fine along the peaks. Even this scarred section of the earth should've grown back if it was so long ago. Small, shriveled plants scattered the ground, small broken pieces of wood spread across the field, at strangely close intervals. Several seemed to be piled on each other, as if they'd fallen over in a V shape-

It came crashing in like a meteor into his chest, seeing the V branches that he'd heard the Earth Kingdom put up over-

"They burned them all."

A graveyard.

He was frozen stiff. How could he move? This was... this was too much, the Fire Nation wouldn't do this, this was too far, to have killed all these people on Zhao's order-

"A damn decade... and they still come back to destroy what little was left here." Her voice was cold, burning rage, frustration and anger, despair and loneliness, guilt and horror. Tears streamed down her cheeks, eyes narrowed in rage that made Zuko's entire body feel cold and numb. The fury in her eyes was poisonous, so potent Aika already looked sick from only seconds of the animosity in her eyes. Sickly pale, shaking, tears streaking down her face, she looked like she was going to fall over.

The fresh burns made more sense now. They came back just to destroy whatever was left- the graves, anything that dared to grow. This wasn't right, though. Zuko refused to believe this was what his country's soldiers were like. They would respect a place like this. They _had_ to, this was the mistake of a senior officer, they wouldn't disrespect these things.

She slowly staggered forward, past the burnt, fallen graves, kneeling slowly at one. Hand reaching out, her fingers wrapped around the ashen wood, parts of it flaking off against her skin.

"I buried her here. Four years, five...?" A small, manic laugh slipped from her lips, fist tightening until the wood fractured, splintering and falling to the ground, a few slivers still in her grasp.

"It feels like an eternity. I've been on a quest to murder a man since I was a child, sent off on an impossible mission by the mother I left in the ground."

Zuko didn't understand, though he felt his heart pang for her loss. She was in so much pain, how could he not feel the same? Yet there was something tugging at the back of his mind. Nothing made sense about this. Her mother was the Savior leader, but she... was dead?

What happened?

He didn't realize he'd spoken the words out loud until Aika's head curved, chin over her shoulder, unabashed tears drowning the earth and flame in her eyes. That wasn't what scared him. What was terrifying was the complete lack of... everything. The rage and emotion from only a moment ago was suddenly gone. It was just... hollowness. You could call it sadness or grief, but he'd seen those eyes before.

 _Bandages wrapped around my face, being thrown from home-_

That longing, blank desire, that look that reflects your unreachable hopes that you can't let go.

It was like looking into a broken mirror, the glass fractured and broken, yet the pieces still came together.

It only was a moment, however. She quickly broke eye contact, turning forward again.

"She was dying when I came back. Burned badly, too much smoke. I pulled her out, managed to get her into the edge of the hills. Everyone who survived the attack was hiding there. We managed to escape, flee deeper into the mountains. There weren't many of us left. I thought she'd never wake up.

 _"Mom? Mom, please, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to leave for so long, I didn't want him to hurt us-"_

"We went back the next day, but everyone else was dead. We buried our dead, scavenged what we could. I had to dig a grave for my mother because no one thought she'd make it. And really..."

 _A young girl, standing at an open grave, crying, a V-shaped knot of branches clutched to her racking chest-_

"She never _really_ woke up. Whoever that was, whoever took her place, it wasn't the woman who raised me. Inge was gone, and Sylva took over."

 _"Not everyone understands," a soft voice explained, gentle hands brushing against brown, knotted locks. "We can't expect everyone to. Jìng-sheng can't call me by my real name because it isn't safe. They can't know."_

"She didn't feel like a mother anymore."

 _"They can't know who we really are, what we come from, what my name really means."_

"But I still listened. And I still made every mistake I could because of that."

 _"We're greater than they'll ever know, but so long as_ we _know, we are happy, we are safe."_

It was starting to make more sense, though not enough. Before he could say anything else, the sound of incoming steps demanded Zuko turn toward an incoming Iroh.

No one spoke. Zuko simply looked to his uncle with a slightly pleading edge, the elder man giving a reassuring nod as he slowly dismounted the ostrich horse, walking toward the girl. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he softly murmured, "I think we should get moving." It was obvious to him this place was triggering difficult memories. Getting her away would be the best solution for now.

Aika didn't respond. She was frozen in place, not a muscle twitching. Her eyes were drained of emotion, just tired and dull, unable to tear her vision away from a plain she couldn't see _not_ enveloped in flames. It wasn't home anymore unless it was being obliterated, unless everything she knew were being choked out by smoke. It wasn't home unless she felt herself _burning and dying-_

"Aika," Iroh softly murmured, kneeling beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It's time to move on."

She wasn't crying anymore. There were no tears left. Just emptiness. Exhaustion. She'd felt this before. When the sadness, the grief, the tears, the crushing weight disappeared, leaving nothing behind but the drained feeling of wanting to rest. Wanting to be done with all of the crushing feelings.

Wanting to dig herself a grave and lay down, close her eyes and never open them again. It would be _so easy-_ why did it have to be so easy to give up? Why did it have to be so simple, such a complete solution? Why did throwing away her existence have to seem so real?

There wasn't a person alive that knew how many times she'd almost given up. No one knew how many times she'd been left alone, wondering how much longer she could keep herself in a thousand pieces, telling herself she was in one. She'd never rested for a moment to try and put together those pieces that had fallen apart so long ago. She just kept as many as she could.

"Yeah," she croaked, voice torn by her previous emotions that were entirely missing now. Slowly pulling her knee out from under herself, she managed to stand, feet still speckled in red from her careless race down the cliffside.

"Let's go. Up the pass and to east, and we'll be in the Heart by noon tomorrow."

 _Bloody, scarred hands tugged at her bandages, stained rusted red and darkened by tears-_

She folded the fingers of her right hand back against her wrist, her left tugging at the fabric, tightening it until it felt as though the fabric would slice through her skin.

"I'd appreciate it if we could not mention this ever happened."

She was walking ahead quickly, steps faltering as she slowly made her way forward, torn soles of her feet shaky and unsteady. Iroh didn't dare try and speak with her now, not so close to the pain. He simply caught up to her, walking beside the girl, trying to offer his silent support. Words would only hurt so close. She needed silence.

Zuko was still standing beside the scattered graves, watching them walk away. He knew he needed to catch up soon, but he looked down at what was left of the gravemarkers. Only one of them was left even still tied together, crooked and knocked over. Kneeling, he gingerly lifted the sticks, gently setting them upright, pressing the ends into the dirt. The simple structure still standing as he let go, he did the same, towering over the empty field.

He'd always known Zhao was ruthless, but this was too far. This was just another reason he needed to prove himself, go back someday. That was his responsibility, right? To fix the things that could be better?

Yet seeing this, he felt his stomach was still knotted.

His father couldn't know about this, right? This wasn't how they were going through this war. They had to be better than this. He'd seen many problems with the Fire Nation and their behavior through his travels, but it all had to be mistakes in the system. His country was better than acting as if Azula ran it. His father had many problems, but something like this... it couldn't go on.

"I'll make up for this someday." His fingers drifted over the scorched wood as he walked forward, the words slipping from his lips. He didn't understand why he felt he needed to connect these blackened graves. Whether it was guilt or empathy, he wasn't sure. He just knew that he needed to do _something._ These were the mistakes of his country's past, he couldn't let these wounds remain open and festered.

Looking ahead to Aika and Iroh, he suddenly knew he had a place to start.

* * *

 **Please review!**

 **Name Translations Because Yeah**

 **Tani- valley**

 **Jiāntǎ- spire**

 **Jìn- near**


	18. Chapter 18: Sins of the Mother

**A shorter chapter than last, but fun! The climax you've been waiting for! After this, we're back to the canon timeline! I'm working on releasing chapters more often, and yes, I know, this is late, but this was a freaking monster written entirely within the hours of 1 AM and 5 AM over several weeks.**

 **Thank you all for your constant support! The rush of reading a review, the smallest reaction to my writing makes me feel so happy and alive inside, I literally forget I'm depressed for awhile! :D**

Chapter 18: Sins of the Mother

After passing through the ruins of Tetsu as quickly as possible, they moved in silence until they were farther away and the sun was almost entirely gone. Iroh had attempted to share his sympathy and wisdom, but Aika wasn't very open to listening.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Aika. You have suffered greatly-"

"No more than the other people in this war," she muttered back, eyes aimed at the sky. "Sorry you had to see that, but it's fine."

Every attempt to speak with her was quickly shut down in such a way, Aika quickly throwing down her bedroll and laying down the moment they set up camp, back to the royals. Iroh's attempts to lure her to the fireside with food and warmth went entirely unheard.

It was a quiet night from there. Iroh, despite all his experience and wisdom, didn't know Aika as well as his nephew, by any means. He didn't know how to approach her. He'd never known her as well, even as a child. Lu Ten was the one who'd known her well. She'd been assigned as his messenger, after all. Lu Ten _loved_ the little runner that dodged between lines of soldiers to to deliver joking messages to his father. Iroh fondly remembered Aika racing in one day-

 _Gasping for air, panting, panic in mossy eyes._

 _"Sir, urgent news from Lu Ten!"_

 _Iroh knew his son was in the midst of launching an assault on the walls, worriedly accepting the rolled parchment from Aika's shaking hand, unfurling it-_

 _In big, emboldened handwriting, the words were quite simple:_

 **I love you.**

 _Aika was grinning, obviously in on the joke. Iroh's relieved sigh turned into a good-natured chuckle, leaning forward, hand holding his head. "Who's idea was this? Yours or Lu?"_

 _Aika was grinning, biting back a snicker as she piped up, "Lu, of course! He wanted to make sure you weren't worrying, and he knows how you love to laugh." The teasing tone of her voice was entirely unprofessional for a mutt to speak to anyone, much less someone of Iroh's standing. He didn't care. He'd never cared for such ridiculous segregation, caring more that the young girl made his son grin in the midst of battle._

 _"Well, I do not believe I will worry as much anymore."_

The fire crackled, Iroh smiling at the sparkling embers, yet his wistful smile still held the sad undertones of loss. Zuko's eyes flickered between the flames and Iroh, quickly realizing from the sad smile on his face what he was thinking about. Lu Ten was always present in his uncle's mind and had shaped his life after his son's death. His cousin was a distant memory to him, since Lu Ten had died when he was young, but he always missed Lu Ten- a large amount of that longing belonging to how much Iroh missed him.

Night fell quickly, Iroh laying down to rest, Zuko still sitting up, staring at the flames, too many thoughts in his mind to rest. Tossing sticks and the sparse brush he could see around the campsite onto the fire, he kept the small flames flickering, quiet as he listened to the thin trees bending in the wind as it whistled, trying to remove the images that were plastered to the insides of his eyelids.

 _Burnt shells of homes._

 _A field turned to a graveyard._

 _A shaking, scarred hand that clung to a piece of burnt wood._

He didn't realize he was staring at Aika's back. It felt for a moment as if it were intrusive, yet he found himself unable to look away. Her uneven hair, singed and cut shorter in random places from her many fights splayed behind her head. The strange way she slept with her knees pulled toward her chest, as if cold. The slight bump of her shirt where he could see the outline of the bandage around her middle. The steady rise and fall of her shoulders with deep breaths. How her scarred arm rested on her hip, fingers curled around a small lump of fabric.

 _Glittering eyes, a teasing smile, a kiss on the deck of his ship-_

Why was he suddenly thinking about that?

Letting out a sigh, he resigned himself to sleep. It's the only reason he'd be thinking about their previous fight, focusing on that single moment where she'd done such a surprising thing. Even for her, that was... _different._

Why was he even still thinking about this?

Laying back, he stared up at the stars- glittering and endless. He tried to imagine that he was watching them from home. The view of the stars from the courtyard of the palace was beautiful in every way, especially from under the willow tree by the pond, even if some were obstructed by the burnt coal of the ships' engines that filled the air.

Closing his eyes, the fire was just dying as they shut.

When he woke only hours later, the embers were dark, a sudden noise having roused him. Sitting upright immediately, he held his hands ready to create his flame daggers before a voice cut into his thoughts.

"You shouldn't do that."

Eyes flitting over, he could see Aika sitting up, eyes dull and tired. It was as if she hadn't slept at all. She was in the process of untangling her hand from her elbow length glove, immediately setting off a flag, knowing how strange this was. She _hated_ letting anyone see her scars.

"Don't do anything stupid like try to fight. And I swear, if I see a single spark, I'm going to hit you. We're not in any real danger as long as you just shut up and let me handle this."

Zuko's eyes tore across their surroundings quickly, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Just trees and hillsides, coated in snow, and the wind quietly whistling before looking back to her. "Handle what?"

"I suppose you could call them... _my_ family."

Before he could even process what she'd said, trees were tumbling rapidly from several directions, toppled by waves of earth as the ground beneath the trio shifted to swallow them nearly whole. Aika wasn't very surprised by the sudden attack, quickly wrapped in earth from the neck downward, Zuko in the same position. Iroh's peaceful rest was interrupted as the trembling ground forced him to sit up, the older man quickly waking fully.

Aika quickly pacified in a controlled, quiet voice, "Relax, we're not in danger." Raising her voice, she yelled, "Junil, Yuosai! I know it's you two. Do your damn jobs right next time and check you you're attacking!"

After a moment, two figures emerged from the trees, each from different directions. The two dark-haired boys wore a strange mismatch of green cloth and stolen pieces of armor- green, brown, red. Both glaring angrily, they paid no mind to Zuko or Iroh, focused entirely on Aika.

One, hair pulled back in a long ponytail, hissed, "You're back after four years, mutt. You'd better have results."

Aika's voice matched his chilled edge, growling back, "If you would do your job right and actually check who you're attacking before you actually do anything, I could have already showed you, Junil."

Junil scowled, eyes turning to his partner, Yuosai. The two sharing a silent conversation, the prior stepped forward and stomped shortly, the dirt falling away from Aika. Standing as if it had never happened, she reached into the pack she'd already slung over her shoulder, pulling out the item wrapped in a red sash. Uncurling the fabric, it wasn't a few seconds before the golden headpiece was gleaming brightly, the two boys seemingly annoyed to find she had succeeded.

"Now, if you two idiots are done with your stupidity, I'd appreciate you freeing my companions. I promised to get them to Ba Sing Se."

Zuko and Iroh hadn't been able to interject, trapped in stunned surprise and confusion as they'd watched the exchange. Their own trappings disappearing, Yuosai looked them over with dismal interest. "Hilarious. The pet has some pets."

Flames suddenly broke the darkness, Yuosai's eyes wide and uneasy with how close the whip of flame had bit to his face. Aika's face was venomous and harsh, carved from stone in anger. "Call me or my friends 'pets' again, Yuo, and you're going to find out why every Fire Nation soldier flees my steps."

Yuo distinctly more pale suddenly, he stomped off up the hillside quickly, Junil turning to follow him, though pausing to mutter, "Get your _friends_ and return to New Tetsu. Don't try and run, or you'll have an escort assigned to you. I assume you remember how to reach the city."

Aika's razor-sharp eyes were her only reply, Janil retreating after the other earthbender.

Zuko didn't need to ask who they were- Saviors. They'd been warned the fanatics were scattered throughout the mountains. Standing, he growled, "We need to move, now."

Aika let out a sigh, shaking her head as she wrapped the hairpiece once again, carefully setting it in the bottom of her bag. "You don't get it, Hothead. There's no escaping, there never was. I'm sure they've been watching since we first arrived, but Junil and Yuosai are the only ones brash enough to pull that stunt. They knew I was going to New Tetsu anyway."

Zuko demanded, "Why go back there? They're crazy! They hate you, you'll get yourself killed!"

Aika turned her eyes on Zuko, and he was yet again struck by the raw emotion that swirled in emerald pools.

 _Don't you think I know that?_

"Why do you want to go back to the Fire Nation? They're crazy, they hate you, you'll get yourself killed." Before Zuko could aptly protest, she continued, "It's because it's home, in its own way. It doesn't make sense, but we've put our damn backs into it to get back. There's not even always something worth the trouble waiting at the end, but we're too deep to stop." Letting out a small breath, frustration was in her tight fists and the curl of steam from her lips.

Iroh, who hadn't dared interrupt the moment between his nephew and the girl, now calmly advised, "Where we call home can change, Aika. You do not need to go back."

"Yes. I do." Furling her bedroll tight, she tied it to her pack, slung it higher up her shoulder and stood tall, eyes on the eastern horizon. "Don't worry about your safety, they won't hurt you if you're with me. As much as they despise me, as long as Sylva is in charge, there's nothing they can do besides hurl insults."

There was nothing to say after that. No one could sleep after the confrontation, resigning themselves to continuing their walk. Quietly packing up, they were soon following Aika up a steep hillside, the stars and half moon gleaming overhead.

Hours of walking, and dawn had yet to break when they staggered up a rocky cliffside, left looking down at the stunning sight below.

The entire valley below seemed to be glowing, vibrant and alive, stark against the white snow and sparse life of the mountains around it. Tall peaks were on every side, making the sloping valley appear as if a bowl, clearly affected by earthbending, the city at its center separated into rising levels.

At the edges of the valley, a thin, sparkling river snaked and encircled the city within, the lowest elevation of the valley. Fields of crops rested on its banks, barely visible in the light of the posted torches on the edges of the fields, lines of light through the field marking the reflection of irrigation trenches. The lights only brightened as the level above rose higher, a ring of houses and full trees, quiet in the dark of night. At the very center was the highest section, a mass market and and open plaza, barely visible from the high cliffs, it was built so tall. The lights were brightest there, flutes and drums and singing and cheering rising up from the plaza.

Zuko was in awe- was this really what the Earth Kingdom was capable of making? This level of wonder and structure? These were the escaped citizens of her hometown, ravaged by soldiers- that little collection of burnt huts and small fields. If they were flourishing on their own, did that mean... they really were better off without the Fire Nation? That had to be wrong- some soldiers were horrible, some leaders like Zhao, but the Fire Nation was trying to expand their influence, trying to help build a better world. All the battles, all the cities he'd seen, all of it was for the better, right? It had to be, it couldn't be-

"I suppose... this is something like a welcome home."

Aika's eyes were glossed over, the amber in her eyes gleaming like gold in the light of the flames below. Zuko could barely see the glitter of unshed tears in her eyes with how bright her eyes were.

"I was starting to get worried for you, mutt."

The voice rose quickly, Junil having hidden along the cliff's rocky edge below. Walking up what could be generously called a trail, his angry eyes were trained on Aika, ignoring Iroh and Zuko entirely. Aika's hands clenched at her side, eyes narrowed and wary, waiting for a snap of the tension as his every step crunched on gravel closer, closer, closer until he was less than a foot away. Emerald eyes tried to shatter the earthen eyes of the bender, yet neither gave way.

A small smirk crossed his lips, voice patronizing and drawling as he mused, "I wanted to make sure Sylva's daughter got a real welcome. Who knows," he murmured, a hand snaking toward her face, Zuko feeling his skin crawl at his words, Iroh just as tense beside him, both ready to act in an instant, despite Aika's blank face.

Junil's hand barely brushing her cheek, he chuckled, "Maybe you really know how to tumble-"

His hand was suddenly crushed in a vice grip, scarred fingers trapping his wrist, nails roughly digging into skin as she hissed, "I'm not a meal ticket to my mother's good graces, or a village girl who'll be impressed by your single decent trait, that pretty little face, and even your looks are unimpressive, Junil." Roughly shoving back his hand, the bender had to shift the ground so not to fall backward down the cliffside. "Remember that next time you think you're better than everyone else."

Brushing straight past him, he didn't even have a chance to hurl his insults at her face, left glaring and seething quietly at her back.

"C'mon, boys. Sounds like a party in the city."

Junil gave a low hum of anger, muttering, "I can't wait to see her tear you apart," stepping off the side of the path, the sound of crashing rocks announced his own descent down the cliffs. Seeing little option, the two began to pick their own careful way down the cliffs.

At the bottom, the small stream wasn't much. Aika waded through easy, water barely over her knees, never glancing back at the duo. As they crossed as well, Zuko murmured to his uncle, "Why are we following her here? They obviously don't like Aika, and they won't want us around any more than her."

"Do you believe that she would lead us here if it would harm us?" Iroh asked, sincere and calm as ever.

Zuko didn't answer. He didn't want to admit- but no. He didn't believe she'd bring them to a trap or some mountain colony to die. Whether her words had an effect or if her constant help as of late was finally setting in... he trusted Aika.

He didn't trust the people here, though. The way Junil had been talking to Aika was enough to make him seethe. If that was anything close to normal here, he wanted to turn around now.

Reaching the edge of the water where it gave way to fields, they walked between rows of water and rice plants, the torches seemed to grow stronger the closer Aika walked to them, though Zuko didn't think this was intentional. The wax and wane of the flames was too wild and uncontrolled to be on purpose.

It wasn't until they reached the edge of the town itself that they saw someone.

A trio of kids were playing with a ball in the street, occasionally using some casual earthbending to knock the ball back into their circle. Only about twenty feet from the kids, one of them suddenly saw the incoming group, the little boy yelling, "Hey, who're you?"

Aika calmly called back, "I'm Aika, these are my friends! You know Sylva, right? She's my mom." The simplistic terms she used weren't a good match for the complicated tone of her voice.

The other two kids stopped playing as well, one slowly backing away, the other scooping up the ball and racing into the nearest house. The boy who'd yelled out to them stayed in the street, waiting for the three to reach him, apprehension in his eyes.

Aika stopped a few feet from him, twice his height, attempting a smile that failed to look genuine. The boy's eyes looking over her arms, they stopped immediately at seeing the lightning marks on her fingers her gloves couldn't hide. "Wow... you're really her."

"Yeah, kid. I am."

Slowly nodding with a hint of nerves in his eyes, he suddenly took off up the street, the very stone of the street seeming to fly him forward as well.

Zuko looked at Aika in hesitant interest. "I thought you were some hero to these people for finishing your... mission."

"Yeah. I was supposed to be," she murmured, rubbing her wrist in agitation, fingers trailing along her scar lines. "But these people are angry and bitter. They spend their days getting riled up and told why and who to hate. It's not surprising they're hostile. I'm sure they've been told wonderful things about my kind."

 _Mother never would've told them that._

 _..._

 _Of course she would._

Iroh suggested gently, "There's no reason to put yourself in harm's way, Aika. We can still leave."

"... Maybe. But _I_ can't."

New figures appeared in the street- a dozen men and women approaching, dressed in bright greens and pristine whites and embellished browns with golden threads that glinted in the firelight. Whispering and moving as one, they stopped in a partial ring before the three.

A familiar face stepped forward, Aika's eyes deflecting slightly to the side upon seeing a man she'd stolen from months ago, mind suddenly flooded with the storm from what felt like years back.

"Welcome home, Aika. We've been waiting a long time," Deric greeted, white robes flowing gently as he extended a hand toward them. "Your friends are welcome as well in the great city of rebirth. Please, you must be tired. You'll be given good care here with our healers." Eyes settling solidly back on Aika, there was a sense of wariness and warning to his words. "You should meet with our great leader as soon as possible. She's eager to see you."

"I'm sure," she murmured, the smallest amount of bitterness reaching her voice.

Deric's eyes narrowed slightly, though it wasn't as hostile as the others; more fearful than anything else, yet it was quickly gone, looking at her companions. "And who would you two be?"

Aika introduced, "Lee and Chang. Their village was destroyed and I was escorting them to Ba Sing Se."

Deric nodded with understanding, slowly looking them over, the first to give them more than a glance. "Well, Lee and Chang, you are welcome to stay here in New Tetsu, should you choose. We pride ourselves that our city is as secure as Ba Sing Se and better hidden. However if you so wish, we will give you an escort to Full Moon Bay once you have rested."

Iroh bowed his head, gracious and cautious. "Many thanks for your kindness."

Zuko couldn't do the same. He was still stalled on what Deric had said.

 _An escort._

Aika wasn't leaving? That had to be just what this man had assumed, she couldn't stay here. But then it struck him: why wouldn't she? This was home for her. She'd chased Zhao to come back here. Yet he never even considered she might stay. He wasn't upset she might stay- he couldn't fault her for that.

He was more perturbed with how the very idea of Aika staying here forever, never to be seen again unsettled him, how it made his stomach twist.

* * *

The small crowd herded them up the twisted streets, to a fragrant building draped in brilliant colored curtains and rugs. Zuko wanted to protest when they separated him and his uncle from Aika, yet Iroh managed to coolly pull him along to another room. Their ostrich horse having been pulled off to a stable, they were escorted to a large, steaming bath, left alone with new clothes set off to the side for them.

Sitting in the pleasantly warm water, it took Zuko several minutes to speak his question.

"Do you think Aika is going to be alright here?"

Iroh seemed slightly surprised to hear Zuko's concern, though his nephew wouldn't meet his gaze. Eyes narrowed, his scarred eye even thinner as he glared at the pink petals that floated in the water. Iroh felt the same sense of worry but he could see that Zuko needed reassurance. "Aika is very capable. She has survived more than most." Yet he could see Zuko wasn't relaxed by the words, looking to the water's surface.

"Nephew, Aika is a creature more similar to a river than a human. She will always follow the smoothest course, but I pity those who stand in the way of her course."

Zuko didn't respond, yet Iroh could see how his eyes had softened.

Now he just had to hold faith that the young girl was as strong as he believed.

A room away, clean bandages looped Aika's midsection, having gotten scrubbed clean as quickly as possible, the hybrid only in her undergarments. A young healer carefully cutting off the roll of bandages from her back, tying and folding the ends of the fabric. "You have many scars, miss. These past four years must have been a challenge."

Aika didn't answer. Her eyes were distant and blank, staring at something where there was nothing, faraway and melancholy.

The healer either didn't notice or didn't care, continuing, "We've been waiting a long time as well, miss. Those of us who stay true to Sylva's words have waited for you along side her."

"Not all of us," a new voice mused, Aika seeming to wake up upon the new voice. Deric standing in the doorway, the healer immediately protested, "Sir Deric, Miss Aika isn't decent-"

"It's fine," Aika murmured, walking over to the table a few feet away, pulling on the pristine white robe set out. Silk flowing like water around her, she wrapped herself inside the fabric. Aika glanced to the healer, nodding. "It's alright, I can finish myself. Thank you."

The healer looked between them, slowly realizing the tension in the air. Backing to the second door, she excused, "I will, uh, be right outside if you need me, miss Aika." Slipping into the hall, the two were left alone.

Aika was staring him down, gaze pinning him in place, though Deric's eyes were everywhere but her: the last wisps of steam from the tub, the way the green hem of her robe swayed, the doorway where the healer had disappeared to. Yet he didn't move anything but his eyes under her intense glare.

"Well? Did you come just to stand around?"

His hands ruffled nervously inside the thick sleeves of his robes. "I-I have come to apologize. When we were children, I was... cruel, treated you horribly. I know my wrongs now, and... I'm sorry."

It was silent, several moments passing before he dared turn his eyes to her, only to be met with eyes harder than any gemstone, sharper than steel. There was no forgiveness, no mercy in her eyes. Just a cold storm where she stood in the center.

"Am I supposed to say 'all is forgiven?' That 'don't worry about it, I've moved on?' If you're looking for any of that, I don't know why you thought you'd get that from me. Honestly, even if I'd been bothered by it back then, I doubt I'd be bothered now. Besides," she sighed, pulling a chair out from where it was pressed to a table, sitting down carefully, adjusting the folds of her robe. "What is it you _really_ want, Deric? You weren't the sentimental type when we were kids, you were the 'throw rocks, no talks' kid. I doubt that's changed."

It didn't take him long to understand. She didn't care about old words. She just cared about the present. Deric nodding slowly, he didn't waste any time. "I've been trying to keep tabs on the outside. I heard Zhao was killed but... I also heard rumors it was a spirit. Not you."

Aika's finger traced loops on the table, eyes following the tracks of smoke that tracked from her fingernail, white and trimmed for the first time in months or years. "Hmm, peeping on Fire Nation soldiers? Impressive." Holding her nail to the wood, a strong streak of grey dulled the air, black color creeping into the wood. "Well, you heard right. I was there. I fought him, nearly won, missed my chance, and some ocean spirit dragged him into the water. Never came up."

Deric nearly shouted, "Then you can't-" Immediately catching his own mistake, he lowered his voice, pacing closer. "Aika, if you go in front of her with lies, she'll kill you!"

"Huh, sounds like nothing much has changed."

Deric gave a frustrated groan, insisting, "Don't you understand? This isn't some game, you'll get yourself killed like-"

"And why do you care?" Aika growled, eyes tearing into him. "What sudden interest do you have in my survival?" Her hand rose, fingers running through her still damp hair, weathered brown black as a Fire Nation soldier in its soaked state. "Well? What does it take to get an answer around here?"

Deric shuffled anxiously in place, eyes flickering like a wild animal's before letting out a small breath of frustration. His worried eyes were years older than they should have been,

"I know what I'm getting myself into. I don't care whatever crap has been going on here since I left, I know I won't be here long. I'm just here to talk to her, sort things out."

Deric gave a frustrated groan, ruffling his hair in frustration, pacing openly across the room. "I heard you'd lost your damn mind since leaving. I thought it was just the Saviors talking, just their shit about hybrids, but no, no you really did lose your mind."

To his surprise, a small smile spread across her lips, cool and relaxed. Her barely narrowed eyes were tired- yet that strange energy still empowered her. Savage, wild energy still filled her every move, and Deric could see it now. The seemingly graceful tap of her fingers on her thigh wasn't gentle and soft, more like the kneading of a cat's claws. Her sharp eyes a hawk's on prey.

Her weakness was gone. She was determined steel, forged in pain and flame.

"And what's wrong with that?"

Standing, she tossed off the robe haplessly, Deric's face immediately breaking out in a furious shade of red. "Uhh-! Aika!"

"What, never seen skin before?" She walked to the side of the room, a stack of folded clothes waiting near the door, several outfits to choose from. Despite her nerves upon Iroh and Zuko having seen her in the same level of indecency, she was entirely comfortable leaving the robe in a pile on the ground. Deric quickly averted his gaze, a hand over his eyes, abashed.

"Do you have no shame?"

"Not especially," she retorted smoothly, tugging on the deep green shirt, its elegant white embroidered edges and loose sleeves of silk brushing her wrists. Lighter green leggings were tugged on, though she entirely ignored the long, split skirt beside it, along with a pair of pretty slippers. Piles of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, hairpieces- carefully arranged and forgotten, except a hairband and a green headband, pushing back dark hair that was growing long and frayed now.

"You're allowed to look again. Safe waters."

Deric cautiously looked back over, lowering his hand upon seeing her fully clothed again, a small sound of surprise in the back of his throat. "That's all you're wearing? You already know you're going to have Sylva furious, and you can't even- I don't know, present yourself? A-A dress? A daxiushan? A freaking _hanbok? Anything_ more?"

Shooting him an intrigued look and a wolfish smirk, she asked, "Since when are you such an expert on women's clothing?"

Deric raised his chin proudly, avoiding her gaze as well as the question. "She's waiting in the square, when you're ready. I'm sure you saw it on your way in."

Turning to leave, he was in the doorway when her voice stopped him.

"I'm preparing for a fight."

Deric suddenly turned, confusion and worry in his eyes. "What?"

Aika quickly wrapped her hair up in the band, out of her eyes, back to their razor's edge after the short moment of levity. "You asked why this is all I'm wearing. I'm preparing for a fight. Firebending takes mobility, skirts catch sparks too easily. Not to mention they're not very comfortable." Walking back over to her old, torn clothes, she pulled free her glove. It took every piece of willpower she had to set it aside. Retrieving the wrapped headpiece from her bag, she turned to the door, slipping out past Deric, striding through the hallway toward the street.

A room over, Iroh and Zuko had left the hot water, the prior being kindly treated to an acupuncturist's talent, the Prince having denied the same treatment. Wearing the elegant green clothes of the city, surprisingly soft and comforting like his robes from home, he now sat at the window, watching the flickering lights of the city.

He couldn't fully comprehend why- why so many things. Why was it so peaceful here? There was no tension in the air, the people kind and welcoming to them. Aside from some bitterness toward Aika, no one had shown them anything but kindness and generosity.

He couldn't understand either, why he hated this place, and why that single moment made his skin crawl.

The _fwup_ of the heavy, rich fabric draped over the door moving, and Zuko could see two people walking down the street. One all in white. One in green, scars on her hand gleaming in the falling moonlight.

Curiosity and suspicion overcame him, and with a quick excuse of a bathroom, he slipped out the door after them.

The streets were still calm, though from the sound of the plaza above, it sounded as though the city was entirely in the celebration above. He couldn't blend in with a crowd, but it was still relatively easy to follow them in the tall shadows of the buildings.

Deric and Aika didn't speak. They simply walked forward, Deric leading the way through the halls, the flickering torches not giving enough light to illuminate their follower.

It took several minutes, the winding streets fairly steep and winding upwards like a maze. Walking through, Zuko was understanding why. If there was ever an attack, the earthbenders would have an overhead advantage, as well as the invaders getting lost trying to move uphill.

He caught himself yet again with his strange, disturbingly foreign thoughts: invaders.

He pushed it away as he could hear the music of the plaza closer than ever before. The lights were blinding against the darkness here, the pounding of feet and dancing earthbenders like an earthquake. Lines of the passionate melody were leaking down the streets.

At the height of the spire, the square was a massive cobblestone expanse Appa could've romped on with space to spare. Yet the space itself didn't surprise him. It was the contents.

Lanterns flooded the open plaza with gleaming orange light. He couldn't see the ground, only people swaying, dancing, jumping, spinning. The entire plaza was moving. Streamers in the air, incense burning, the smell of food and spices choking the air, laughter and song deafening.

Yet the head-pounding craziness of it all ground to a halt as one person on the edge caught sight of the pair, whispers quickly spreading the information throughout the entire crowd, even the music fading out slowly.

Deric nodded forward, the two exchanging one last glance before he disappeared into the crowd, Aika pushing forward. The people immediately parted, not daring to come within five feet of her. Some glared, some stared in awe, all eyes focused on her as she moved. It made it easy for Zuko to slip into the crowds as well, his greens making him disguise with them well, pushing through to the end of the masses.

At the end of the plaza, the steps of a temple-like building were draped in brilliant rugs, pillows, and people lying around the base of the tall, stone pillars.

At the top of the stairs, amid a mass of people on the lower steps, a woman sat on a mess of scarlet fabric. Darkened hair dusted with gray, intricately piled in an elegant bun on top of her head, a scattering of golden flower hairpieces holding it up, a fa-zan hairpin with the likeness of a dragon at the top. Her long, soft blue skirt pulled up to her sterum, a pristine white shirt tucked in neatly, a mint shawl draped over her shoulders, trailing behind where she stood, the faint white designs of flowers scattered over the fabric. Sitting calmly, her glittering jade eyes followed Aika's approach slowly, face never betraying her emotion.

At the base of the steps, Aika stopped, heart pounding, blood screaming in her ears. Her voice barely worked as she knelt, bowing her head.

"Mother."

Her hands raising, her tremble was too faint to notice as the red silk, torn and singed from travel, unraveled, revealing the gleaming gold of Zhao's headpiece. Lifting it over her head in her palms like an offering, she took a short breath to pull herself back into control.

"Zhao is dead. My mission is over."

Sylva slowly stood, her shawl falling from her shoulders as she walked forward. Bare feet strode forward slowly, revealing tattoos around her ankles- three simple bands around each. Step by step, she descended, Aika unable to tell if her heart pounded too fast to feel or stopped, every time she became closer, it just got worse. Could she run? Slip away? How even, she already felt as though she'd fall over-

A hand rested on her shoulder, and suddenly, when she felt she was about to collapse, she was made of stone, frozen in place by the gentle touch.

"I've been waiting so long for you to come home, Aika."

A voice like a breeze. A kind touch she'd longed for _years._ She almost broke out in tears in an instant. It became even harder when the rustle of silk and the slither of a thin arm wrapping around her back, pulling her into an embrace. Aika felt the headpiece tumble, hands wrapping around her mother's back, tangling and digging into her dress, face buried in Sylva's shoulder.

One holding on in peace, one clung in desperation.

Sylva finally drawing back, she smiled kindly at her daughter. Aika could barely fight back the pure desire to break down, quivering fingers picking up the hairpiece again, offering it forward. "You should have it."

Sylva smiled, delicate fingers entwining around the metal, leaning forward and pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, standing slowly, holding the piece to her chest. Letting out a relieved sigh, a small chuckle grew, slowly turning to an outright laugh, pure euphoria in her eyes.

Hefting the piece high, she announced, _"Our enemy has been destroyed! Those who we lost have finally achieved justice!"_

A massive cheer shook the air, Aika suddenly pulled out of her homecoming joy by their voices. The truth had to come out.

"I didn't kill him."

The cheers didn't die, yet Sylva stiffened, slowly turning her eyes onto her still kneeling daughter. Dark eyes narrowing, she murmured dangerously, _"What?"_

Aika suddenly didn't have a voice. Her throat was wrapped in knots. Heart pounding, fear thrumming through her body. Nervous and barely able to speak, her fingers dug into the sash that had held the headpiece, tangling it around her thumb. "I-I didn't... kill him. I was there, I fought him- but I didn't kill him. A Spirit did."

The cheering still didn't die, yet neither of them could hear it anymore. The world contained only two people- mother and daughter, their shame and rage, standing in the falling moonlight.

A single stomp and the cobblestones were broken and raggedly jutting upward. The earth colliding with Aika's chest, she gave a pained groan as she flew back, the crowd scattered back as she skidded against the ground. Zuko would've lunged forward, had the entire horde pushing him back along with themselves.

Sylva radiated pure fury, the cobblestones trembling at her feet.

 _"You..._ You would _dare_ return here, still shamed and broken, a pathetic mutt, empty-handed except for a damn _trinket?!"_ Throwing the headpiece aside without thought, she stormed forward, the citizens spreading out, creating a circle at the base of the steps, a human barrier.

Aika just starting to sit up, Sylva arrived quickly, grabbing her by the front of her shirt, dragging her up, easily lifting her until her legs were all that touched the ground, stronger than her elegant appearance would say. Hissing in her daughter's face, "What right do you think you have to wear the colors of a nation you've clearly betrayed?!"

"As if you can talk."

Sylva's eyes widened sharply, outraged upon hearing the words. Aika's head bowed, Sylva couldn't see the sadness in her eyes. "What did you say?"

Aika's head tilted forward, her hand wrapping around her mother's wrist tightly. Eyes matching Sylva's, she repeated intensely, "As if. You. Can talk."

Sylva wasted no time in slamming her hand forward, Aika along with, knocking the wind from her lungs as she collided roughly with the ground. "Don't attempt to pull me down to your level! I'm not a traitor to my home!"

Aika gasped in pain, the treated wound in her back no less sensitive. Burning pain shot up her spine, vision going split, chest jolting with intense, hacking breath.

Zuko immediately felt the urge to run forward yet again, taking a step forward before a familiar hand wrapped around his arm, Iroh's voice in his ear. "No, nephew. I do not believe it would be good for us or Aika if we were to interfere here."

Zuko hissed, "Sylva is-"

"No match for Aika," Iroh assured, not daring to release the prince yet. "If Aika wished, she could have ended this fight instantly. This is a family matter. We mustn't get involved unless she is in real danger."

Zuko wanted to argue, to yell and throw flames- yet he couldn't. His eyes returned to the fight, a silent prayer raising to get his strange friend through this.

Sylva standing tall, her jaw clenched tight, glaring down at Aika. "Pathetic. No wonder you couldn't fulfill your only damn purpose, _mutt."_ Spitting the word like the worst insult she could muster, she couldn't find it in herself to move yet. She felt rooted to the spot, watching her little girl heaving for air.

Was there pride in standing over her? Not a hint. Did it feel good? She couldn't imagine. Yet she stayed, simply watching as Aika fought just to function again.

Nearly a minute later, Aika managed to open her eyes, she slid her arms back, skinned elbows and torn sleeves caught on stone as she managed to prop herself back up on her arms. Chest rising coarsely, she stared up at Sylva, her mother having to pause at the look in her eyes: questioning, saddened. _Disappointed._

"Is that really... what you believe? Even after... Tetsu? After... you made it-"

Cobblestone jutted forward from underneath her, Aika letting a cry of pain escape her grit teeth as she rolled once. The attack aimed directly at her injured back, Sylva had found her weakness and was pinpointing it.

"Whatever lies you have, I won't listen, neither shall my true children."

Aika flashed a glare upward at Sylva, growling, "Then you won't mind me telling everyone how you met Zhao? How Tetsu fell in the first place?" On her stomach, she winced at the spiking jolts up her spine, barely getting to pull a knee toward her torso, trying to push to her feet before Sylva's most vicious move struck: a quick punch to the earth, the ground rippling into three sharpened spires that sprung forward at Aika. The hybrid flung her weight backwards quickly, avoiding her arms and legs being skewered.

Sylva spat, "If you've come only for lies and shame, you can take such disgusting things with you. _Leave,_ before I end your miserable life."

Aika's shaky palms spread across the ground, struggling to push herself to her knees. Her shoulders rattled. Sweat dripped. Her new, fine clothing torn, sleeves hanging at the shoulder, entirely free of her arms. The sash still clutched in her hand, halting breath escaped her lips as she carried on, as if nothing had happened.

"Your name was Inge. You used to live in Fujin, your father was the governor- until the Fire Nation arrived. You were sent to Tetsu to be safe, escorted by Jing-sheng, changed your name to be safe." Her mother's guard, the closest she had to a father figure. A royal soldier meant to protect the governor's only daughter. "The city fell and you ran."

Sylva lunged forward, stone jumping up to wrap around her fist as she yelled harshly, fist crashing down toward Aika, the latter's hands lashing out, quickly grabbing Sylva's exposed forearm, the two struggling, pushing for several seconds.

Aika kept on, "But being safe wasn't enough. You wanted more. You snuck back to Fujin and one night, you made friends with a Lieutenant. You didn't just get along- he convinced you that you two were in love. Told you he'd marry you, said you'd have the perfect life, and you believed him. Wanted to help him so much, you went back to Tetsu and used your bending to break down the walls, their only defense, handing the city over to the Fire Nation!"

 _"Blasphemy,"_ Sylva snarled, her open fist lashing out bare, colliding with Aika's throat. Choking and her grasp immediately weakening, the stone-wrapped fist hitting her face as well. Blood streamed freely from her nose, her cheek skinned open as well. Falling on her back, eyes rolled up in her skull, skin already discoloring from the blow, hair knocked loose and splayed in a dark halo.

Zuko wouldn't stop this time. Iroh clung tight to his arm, starting a protest before Zuko growled, "She'll _die_ at this rate, Uncle, we have to-"

Iroh insisted, "We cannot be rash here, you will-"

There was movement once again, Aika's spread arms to twitch, muscles barely responding. Fingers flicking, lips quivering, scuffed feet shifting slightly.

Zuko didn't want to watch. It made him sick, watching her try so hard, not even fighting back, Sylva brutalizing her. Her own _daughter._ He didn't even realize the words left his mouth.

"Get up."

Eyes flickered slowly open, dazed and still pained, Sylva having let the stones fall from her hand. Seeing her stir, she strode forward, closing the short distance. "You should've ran when you had a chance." Slamming her fists into the ground, she created a spear of rock in her hand, towering over her: hate, guilt, spite, grief all spiraled in her eyes.

"That's all you're good for, isn't it?"

Aika's dark eyes slid distractedly from the sky to her face- the anger, the self-loathing. It was all so familiar. She didn't want to fight. She never did.

Light broke the mountain tops, the first rays of light falling on her darkened eyes.

She'd never wanted to fight.

She'd never wanted to run.

But you can't help the past and how it shaped you. It wasn't her choice. It was what she had, though.

Power surged through her as the light of dawn woke her inner flame yet again. Spiraling flame left her palms, Sylva stumbling back to not be burned. Suddenly encased in a circle of flame, Aika had space and time.

Rolling herself onto her stomach, it was easier to push to her shaky knees, from knees to her feet as the flames spiraled out.

"You're right," she rasped, straightening to stand tall, eye to eye with Sylva through her failing embers. "I'm not good for a lot. I'm no genius, not a noble, despite your bloodline. I'm nothing but a mutt." Flames lit in her palms, lifting her arms for the fire to swirl faster and faster around her, a disk of red blazing heat around her at hip height.

"But maybe that's not so bad."

Sylva gave an angry roar, lunging forward, Aika responding by flinging her disk of flame, Sylva diving below to dodge it. Aika, too weak to move drastically, gave a quick volley of flame toward Sylva in her dive, her mother quickly pushing herself out of the way with a quick nudge from the stone. Out of range, Aika had a moment once again.

"You loved me once! You believed he was coming back for us someday, wanted us to be a family! When you found out it was a lie, when he scorched our home to a pile of ashes, you blamed me! It wasn't fair of you! I'm tired of pretending I should feel guilty, feeling guilty when all I did was exist! I have enough to make up for without counting your sins as mine!"

The words left, and a weight was lifting slowly, surely. She felt the relief of release, feeling the motions come to her naturally. It was like breathing. She didn't think. The sway, the flow between movements were innate as air, as instinctual as hunger. Fingers bent, two pointed on each hand, she shifted foot to foot, arms smoothly sliding between every move.

Sylva lunged forward with another yell, sparks were biting at the air as it both heated and chilled around her.

Zuko yelled something, though he wasn't sure what. Iroh had to use both hands to hold him back.

Sylva closed the distance. Aika's body was cloaked in electricity, blue, white, gray, yellow. Her scarred hand extended forward, Sylva realizing too late exactly what was happening. Trying to skid to a stop, gouges appeared in the ground, her eyes wide in terror as white light blinded everyone present.

White branches of lightning streaked through the sky, splitting the sky, cracking the air with the booming scream of its power screeching through the air.

Fingers trailing steam, they were aimed only feet over Sylva's face, still frozen in the shock and horror of the moment. Lowering her hand slowly so her fingers were aimed directly at Sylva's face, Aika's shoulders rose and fell slowly with her calmed breath.

"I showed you the same mercy I showed him. Because you don't deserve to die. It's taken me a long time to understand. But I do, now." Lowering her hand completely, her arm hung weakly at her side, a small, sad smile on her lips. "I'm not angry. I'm sad, lonely, bitter. Some of it at him, you, the world.

"You were wrong to send me out with some impossible mission. I was a kid. I suppose you can try and say I still am, though I don't think that's fair. It was wrong, and brutal, and twisted."

Sylva was still entirely frozen, unable to protest as Aika wrapped her arms around her once again. Brow pressed into her shoulder, she murmured, "And despite it all... I still love you. And I forgive you."

Sylva was slowly waking up from her trance, eyes slowly crawling from where Aika's fingers had been aimed at her to her daughter's head.

"I can't change the past. That's okay. I don't really blame you if you never forgive me. That's your choice." Pulling away, she offered the kindest smile she could through the tears leaking down her cheeks.

"I hope that someday, you can let go of your hatred, too."

Sylva stared in confusion, unable to process as Aika stepped back, turning toward the crowd. They immediately tensed, as if scared she'd unleash her lightning on them next.

Iroh and Zuko were just as rooted in place as Sylva.

Iroh had never seen such a display of lightning- nor pure openness from any human being, much less the aloof child he'd come to know.

Zuko... well, if anyone knew what to think of this, he'd ask them to fill him in. Bonus if they knew how the hell he felt about what he'd just seen.

Aika picked them out of the crowd easily. "Lee, Chong, I think it would be best if we left now." Unable to use their real names, she strode forward, Iroh coming through quickly. Still holding Zuko, he pulled him along slowly. The citizens pulled away quickly, giving them no resistance. Walking forward with a limp in her step, she could catch a glimpse of Deric in the crowd: smiling, proud.

The sound of rock crunching, and Aika suddenly collapsed, crashing face first into the ground, the stone spear having driven straight into the back of her left thigh.

Sylva's arm was still extended forward in the throwing position, teeth bared in anger. She spat, "A mutt has no right- _no right_ to forgive _me_ for anything! No right!"

Zuko was down beside her instantly, Iroh taking a more defensive approach. The citizens who'd been glaring at her entrance were getting restless now, shifting around as if ready to attack.

Sylva whirled around, back toward the safety of her steps, yelling, "Let them leave! A creature as vile as this would poison our land if its blood spilled here!"

Her back to everyone, no one could see the tears in Sylva's eyes as she ascended the stairs.

Aika had her teeth grit tight, eyes closed as if it helped with the pain. Zuko didn't have any idea of what to do, to take it out, leave the spear in-

Iroh's hand sliced through air quickly, breaking off the thin shaft of the spear just above the tip. Under his breath, he ordered coolly, "Zuko, please help Aika. We're leaving."

Zuko took comfort in the orders. Having a direction was good. Slinging her arm over his neck. It was hard, Aika barely able to take a fraction of her weight with her other foot after the brutal beating she'd taken from the entire ordeal.

Yet the trio left the plaza unharmed from that moment forward.

Limping down the street, Aika was grinning like an idiot. Or so that was Zuko's opinion. "What the hell was that?"

"The only way I knew how to get through to someone who only understands strength," Aika answered wearily.

Iroh offered a kind smile of his own. "And you were incredibly brave to do so, Aika."

"Yeah, and stupid," Zuko scoffed, glancing back one more time to ensure no one had followed them. He didn't trust the angry people of the city. The beauty of it all felt cheapened here now.

"Tell me about it."

Ahead of them, Deric stepped out from another street's opening; Zuko almost demanded how he'd gotten there faster, but that was redundant; he obviously knew these twisting streets.

Aika greeted weakly, "Heyyy, Der. Went better than expected, right?"

Shaking his head, he waited at the corner for the trio to reach him. "If by that, you mean you aren't dead, I don't think you're far off. I can't do much for you, but I can at least make sure you don't get an infection." Lifting a leather pack- hers, she immediately recognized- he continued, "Some basics, plus your old stuff. Your ostrich horse is in the stable around the corner, though I doubt Sylva would dare send anyone after you if you took two more."

Iroh gave a simple thank you, the group stopping upon reaching Deric. Aika reached forward, pathetically tapping his cheek like a child. "Thanks for a hand, Der. Maybe you're not a prick after all."

Deric's flushed face was all the coherent answer he could muster, his muttering to low to be heard, aside from a few small words like "cute" and "idiot."

Deric slid in on Aika's other side, the four walking toward the stables. Aika had to prod Iroh to let them take a pair of mounts that weren't theirs, but seeing her condition was so rough, he couldn't argue much.

After quickly treating her leg, the three hauled their tired bodies onto the creatures, Aika looking with tired, pained eyes to Deric. "You could come, you know. You don't have to stay here."

Deric's lips tightened for a moment- internally debating, eyes looking with empty hope at Aika. "... No. I really can't."

Aika didn't understand- she really couldn't, even without the pain clouding her mind. She didn't understand the longing look of someone who's childhood crush became a living ghost to them.

"Then I'll see you when the world is free again."

"Ha. If it really happens in our lifetime, I'll kiss the damn Fire Lord."

Ignoring the mixed reactions of the two Fire Nation citizens behind her, Aika nodded seriously. "I'll hold you to it." Flicking the reins with a sharp cluck, she led the trot out of town.

Through streets, fields, water, up the cliffs- it was daytime, and no one wanted to stop. Aika leaning forward on her mount's neck, she was half asleep when Zuko rode by her side, muttering, "You're crazy. Why did you challenge her like that?"

Aika murmured dizzily, "Because... I knew she'd listen."

"You call that listening?"

"You didn't see it... if you didn't... see I got to her." Smiling vaguely, her eyes slid closed. The feathers of her beast were so warm, so soft. So comforting after such a stressful day. "Sometimes, people... don't understand you... until they see you bleed... for what you believe."

Zuko shook his head, completely bewildered."You're insane."

"Probably." A short yawn.

Zuko wouldn't let her hear the words that existed only in his mind. Words he didn't fully understand yet. What they meant to him, why he felt like this at all.

 _I was scared for you._

* * *

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